Nairobi: Tomatoes cooked together with cabbages have been a staple vegetable side dish for many Kenyans, offering a simple and versatile meal option for both meat lovers and vegetarians. Kenya boasts over 300 varieties of tomatoes, and the Kenya Agricultural Livestock Research Organization (KALRO) is actively working on improving and breeding new varieties. They are focused on identifying the best irrigation practices for tomato production.

According to Kenya News Agency, Dr. Lusike Wasilwa, Director of Crop Systems at KALRO, emphasized the importance of tomato production in Kenya, noting that each household consumes the vegetable in at least two meals daily. However, Dr. Wasilwa expressed concerns that the over 500,000 tomato farmers in Kenya struggle to meet local demand due to poor seed variety, resulting in yields of 8.8 Metric Tonnes (MT) per acre, compared to a potential of 20MT per acre. The deficit has led to increased imports from neighboring countries.

Dr. Wasilwa highlighted several challenges faced by tomato producers, including the high cost of certified seeds, limited skills in seed establishment, pest and disease issues, poor post-harvest management, and low technology adoption among smallholder farmers. KALRO's recent Open Week Exhibition showcased research and technologies for sustainable agriculture, with a focus on innovation, drawing participation from various private companies.

Among these companies, SAKATA Seeds presented a wide range of products, including the Buena Vista, F1 tomato variety, which is being promoted for the East and West African regions. Angus Douglas Hamilton, SAKATA's regional representative, explained that the variety offers resistance to common diseases and boasts large, firm fruits with excellent shelf life.

Hamilton also discussed SAKATA's efforts in developing other crops, such as butternuts and cabbages. The PowerSlam F1 cabbage variety, newly launched in Kenya, is praised for its uniformity, high yield, and resistance to diseases like black rot, making it suitable for transportation over long distances.

Sakata Seeds is recognized globally for breeding high-yielding food crop varieties that address pest challenges. Meanwhile, tomato production contributes over Sh15 billion annually to Kenya's economy, providing both income and food security. The area under cabbage cultivation in Kenya is estimated at around 600,000 tons annually.