Burundi

Potato production in Burundi is mainly concentrated in the highlands along the Nile-Congo divide at altitudes of 1,800 to 2,500 meters, with ideal temperatures of 14°C to 18°C and annual rainfall around 1,500 millimeters. Potatoes are grown year-round, with the marais crop in low-lying valleys contributing up to 80% of annual production. Most farmers manage small plots, intercropping potatoes with maize and beans, and using minimal inputs.

Since the 1920s, over 500 varieties have been introduced, with popular high-yield, disease-resistant types like Eigenheimer, Star, Arka, and Kenya Baraka. Farmers primarily rely on saved seed, with limited certified seed available from ISABU’s Mwokora center. 

Potatoes were introduced around 1900 to Burundi by German missionaries when the territories were a German colony. In 1919, following World War I, the territories were administered by Belgium until independence in 1962.

Local adoption of the potato crop was initially slow, and it was not until the 1930's that potatoes became a significant food crop in suitable production areas. The stimulus for increased production came in part from imports of new varieties and clean seed from Belgium. In 1979, the Burundi Government, with Belgian assistance, established a program for potato improvement. The Programme d'Amélioration de la Pomme de Terre operates under the auspices of l'Institut des Sciences Agronomiques du Burundi (ISABU).

The most suitable areas for potato production in Burundi are the highlands of the Nile-Congo divide along the northeastern borders with Rwanda and the Democratic Republic of the Congo.