Kenya's school potato clubs dig in ahead of World Potato Congress

Hundreds of young Kenyan learners are getting their hands dirty in school gardens as the country prepares to host the World Potato Congress 2026.

At FreshCrop Farm in Mwisho wa Lami, Nakuru County, 4K Club members, patron teachers, agriculture officers and the FreshCrop team gathered on Monday for a joint field day aimed at strengthening preparations for the global gathering.

The event forms part of a school-based initiative linked to the World Potato Congress 2026 School Exhibition and Competition, which organisers say is designed to connect Kenyan classrooms with agricultural innovation and an international audience.

The Congress itself is scheduled for 26–30 October 2026 at Sawela Lodges & Convention Centre in Naivasha, where delegates will discuss the role of potatoes in food systems, nutrition security and trade.

Learning by doing

From 9:00 a.m., participating schools sent two learners and one patron teacher each to the farm, where classroom knowledge met practical experience.

A key activity was the top-dressing and moulding of the main common potato demonstration plot, giving learners hands-on lessons in crop management.

Participants also established a vegetable demonstration plot, demonstrating how schools can make productive use of available land.

For the young 4K Club members, the farm is becoming a living classroom — a place where lessons about soil, fertiliser, crop management, nutrition and food production can be seen, touched and experienced.

Preparing young ambassadors

The programme also took a step towards upcoming school competitions.

FreshCrop and Ministry of Agriculture, Livestock and Fisheries (MoALF) teams worked with schools to develop a visiting schedule, finalise judging forms and criteria, and constitute a judging committee.

Learners, teachers and agricultural officers were briefed on their roles, expectations and preparations.

Organisers say the aim is not simply to identify winners, but to create an environment where learners can demonstrate their knowledge of potatoes, agriculture, nutrition and sustainable food production — while encouraging other young people to see farming as a field of opportunity and innovation.

Taking the programme back to schools

The field day did not end at FreshCrop Farm.

Each participating school is expected to receive 3 kilograms of top-dressing fertiliser, vegetable seedlings and guidance on planting, spacing and management — support intended to keep practical agricultural activities going after the joint meeting.

School-specific consultations will help patrons and learners understand next steps, while agreed timelines and responsibilities will provide a framework for follow-up.

Organisers say the approach is building a network of school-based demonstration activities rather than a single event.

A countdown powered by young people

With the World Potato Congress approaching, the 4K Clubs initiative offers a reminder that major agricultural conversations do not begin only when delegates arrive at a conference venue.

They begin earlier — in farms, schools, laboratories, kitchens and community gardens.

They begin when a learner plants a crop and asks why it grows. They continue when a teacher encourages that learner to experiment. And they gain momentum when farmers, government officers, agricultural companies and young people work together.

For the 4K Clubs, the journey towards the World Potato Congress 2026 is becoming a practical lesson in agriculture — one field, one school and one young farmer at a time.

From the soil of Mwisho wa Lami to the global stage in Naivasha, Kenya's young agricultural ambassadors are getting ready to tell their story.

The road ahead

Monday's programme was expected to conclude at 3:00 p.m., with participants leaving with clear responsibilities, materials and timelines for the next phase.

The immediate objectives are practical: strengthen the common demonstration plot, establish vegetable production, prepare schools for visits and judging, and ensure learners and teachers understand what lies ahead.

The bigger objective is generational — to inspire young Kenyans to understand where their food comes from, appreciate agriculture, and see the potato not simply as a crop on the plate, but as part of a larger story about nutrition, livelihoods, innovation and food security.

As the countdown to October continues, the message from the 4K Clubs is becoming clear: the World Potato Congress may be coming to Kenya, but the potato story is already growing in Kenya's schools.