The Eldoret National Polytechnic (TENP) is positioning itself to play a strategic role in strengthening potato production and food security in the North Rift following high-level discussions with scientists from the Kenya Agricultural and Livestock Research Organisation (KALRO).
TENP on Thursday, 6th August 2026, hosted a delegation of KALRO research scientists for discussions aimed at establishing a partnership and collaboration framework in agricultural research, technology transfer and capacity building.
At the heart of the engagement is a proposed initiative that will see TENP serve as a Potato Seed Production Centre for the North Rift region once the partnership is finalised.
The proposed centre is expected to contribute significantly to addressing one of the key challenges facing potato farmers in the region: access to clean, quality and certified potato seed. By leveraging research, training and practical agricultural expertise, the initiative will help strengthen local seed systems while creating opportunities for skills development and agri-enterprise.
Eldoret National Polytechnic-KALRO partnership
Discussions during the engagement focused on technical collaboration, capacity building, agricultural research and practical pathways for increasing the availability of quality potato seed to farmers across the North Rift.
The KALRO delegation comprised Dr Judith Oyoo Ilukol, Research Scientist, and Patrick Pwaipwai, Research Scientist.
The engagement was led by Penninah Ogutu, Deputy Principal in charge of Academics, who represented the institution in discussions on how the proposed collaboration can align research, training and agricultural production to address emerging needs in the region.
Also present were the Head of the Department of Agriculture, Environment Officer, Research Coordinator, Deputy Farm Manager Walter Kiptoo, among other members of staff.
The proposed partnership underscores TENP’s growing role in linking technical and vocational education with research, innovation and real-world agricultural production.
The establishment of a potato seed production centre at TENP would provide a platform where trainees, farmers, researchers and other agricultural stakeholders can interact, acquire practical skills and explore technologies aimed at improving potato productivity.
For the North Rift, a region with significant potential for potato production, improved access to quality seed could translate into higher productivity, better farm incomes, expanded agri-business opportunities and enhanced food security.
The collaboration between TENP and KALRO therefore goes beyond institutional partnership. It represents an opportunity to build a stronger connection between research, skills development and the farmer, ensuring that innovations generated through agricultural research can ultimately have a tangible impact on communities.
A Strategic Step for TENP and the North Rift
As discussions toward finalising the partnership progress, TENP is poised to strengthen its position as an institution that not only equips learners with technical skills but also contributes directly to solving challenges affecting the region’s agricultural economy.
The proposed Potato Seed Production Centre is expected to become an important pillar in strengthening regional seed systems, supporting agricultural research, promoting agri-enterprise and contributing to food and nutrition security.
TENP is thus opening a new chapter in its commitment to practical skills, research, innovation and community transformation, putting knowledge into production and agriculture into opportunity
