The present study was commissioned by the Deutsche Gesellschaft Fur Technische Zusammenarbeit (GTZ) GmbH as a follow-up activity within the framework of developing its conceptual basis in the post-harvest subsector. It has been increasingly recognized that development activities in this field should adopt a systems approach in order to achieve sustainable impact. Isolated activities in purely technical fields, such as storage protection, mechanisation e.t.c should be framed into a broader program of post-harvest systems development.
In the course of their cooperation in the GASGA (Group of Assistance for Grain After Harvest), FAO and GTZ developed a framework for post-harvest systems (Flash, 1995). It was agreed by both organizations to carry out a series of country case studies. The GTZ working group on post-harvest systems development has chosen Kenya as a case study site for a country study. A preliminary survey which was conducted in May, 1996 revealed from expert opinion that root and tuber crops were an area of high importance facing a considerable lack of information (Fleischer, 1996).
The present report has been prepared by the Institute of Horticultural Economics, University of Hannover, Germany. Field surveys and workshops were undertaken from 6 February to 8 March, 1997 by a multidisciplinary team of five experts from different origin.
Stefan Agne, University of Hannover, Germany (Agricultural Economist)
Gerd Fleischer, University of Hannover, Germany (Agricultural Economist and Team leader)
Hilda Kigutha, Egerton University, Kenya (Nutritionist/Home Economist)
Peter Oldham, Natural Resources Institute, UK (Marketing Economist)
Ellizabeth Wanjekeche, Kenya Agricultural Research Institute (Food Technologist).
In Phase IV of the approach to this Country study (see Section 1.2), a review of the study report was undertaken by a team of Kenyan stakeholders in two consecutive workshops. These included the Ministry of Agriculture, KARI, Ministry of Industrial Development, Kenya Consummers' Organisation, International Potato Research Center (CIP), Barclays Bank and Tegemeo Institute of Egerton University. The first workshop produced recommendations for improvement of the study and these have already been incorporated in the report. The second workshop formulated a tentative Action Plan which is attached to the report as Annex 9.
We are grateful to the Director of Agriculture, Ministry of Agriculture, for permitting the study. Our special thanks go to the District Agricultural Office in Kisii for the thorough preparation of background data, and to the District Agricultural Office, Meru. Thanks are given to the Director of the Kenya Agricultural Research Station, Kitale for granting participation of staff members in the study, to D. Mey for the continuous support of GTZ Project Administration Service, to Dr W. Nguyo of the Policy Analysis Matrix team of Egerton University, to J. Alumira and C. Obara-Mwiti of the Ministry of Agriculture and to Professor W. von der Ohe for valuable comments. We would like to thank the farmers and traders for the information given.
The Study Team
June, 1998
