To bring hybrid true potato seeds (HTPS) to Ethiopia, Solynta and PepsiCo’s Ethiopian Foods Unit, Senselet Food Processing PLC (Senselet), have started a project.

Hybrid breeding, which enhances food security and ensures a more sustainable income for farmers, is the concentrated breeding of desirable characteristics like pest resistance and hardiness.

The seeds will be put to the test by Ethiopian scientists and farmers, and Solynta/PepsiCo will work closely with Ethiopian officials to create legal frameworks for seed import, seed variety registration, and hybrid seed tuber certification.

“Our teams will develop with farmers the best practices for Ethiopian conditions. Hybrid breeding will significantly affect crop practices, productivity, and reliance on pesticides,” Charles Miller, Solynta’s Director of Business Development, mentioned.

The partnership aligns with the Ethiopia-Netherlands Seed Partnership (ENSP), whose mission is to “enable the private sector in Ethiopia to deliver farming men and women high-quality seed of improved varieties much needed for food security, nutrition, and climate resilience.”

The top business in Ethiopia that processes potatoes is PepsiCo. The news of its partnership with Solynta comes shortly after PepsiCo invested USD40m in Ethiopian expansion.

“This investment will allow us to leverage PepsiCo’s global expertise to boost the business’ potato sourcing programs, as well as its manufacturing and go-to-market capabilities. We want to help build a more sustainable food system in Ethiopia by meeting human needs while bolstering global economic and social development,” Chris Wijnterp, Senselet’s GM at the time of the investment announcement, concluded.