The global potato industry will gather in Naivasha, Kenya, from 26 to 30 October for the 13th World Potato Congress, with organizers highlighting a large-scale Farmers Field Day and a series of specialist workshops among the programme’s central features.

The 2026 congress, the first to be held in sub-Saharan Africa, will bring together growers, processors, researchers, policymakers, agribusiness companies and other value-chain participants under the theme “Global Potato Partnership for Enhanced Food Systems, Nutrition Security and Trade”.

Scientific and business sessions will address potato production and trade, policy and regulation, variety development, seed systems, crop protection, post-harvest management, processing and value addition. The programme will also examine mechanisation, climate-smart agriculture, digital technologies and the potato’s contribution to food and nutrition security.

One of the largest activities associated with the event will be the Farmers Field Day at FreshCrop Ltd on Thursday, 29 October. Organizers expect the event to attract more than 1,500 farmers and potato industry stakeholders from Kenya and the wider East African region.

The Field Day will feature demonstration plots, climate-smart agriculture training and mechanization demonstrations covering land preparation, planting, harvesting and sorting. Suppliers and technical specialists will also present developments in certified seed, irrigation, crop nutrition, crop protection and post-harvest handling.

FreshCrop produces certified seed and ware potatoes and works with a network of smallholder farmers across Kenya’s principal potato-growing areas. The company also provides training, mechanization support and links to agricultural inputs, finance and markets.

The Farmers Field Day has been incorporated into several of the congress’s technical tour options. These include visits to potato processing, research and seed-sector facilities, with one itinerary combining the Field Day with a tour of Sereni Fries’ processing operations.

WPC 2026 will also introduce thematic workshops intended to support collaboration between congress editions. The International Potato Marketing Group workshop, scheduled for 26 October, will bring together marketing professionals, researchers and industry representatives to examine strategies for increasing global potato consumption.

The session will cover consumer and market trends, nutrition research, sustainability communication, international promotional campaigns and the development of shared marketing resources. Other thematic workshops will focus on potato sustainability, research collaboration, aeroponics, rooted apical cuttings and hybrid true potato seed.

The main congress sessions and exhibition will take place at Sawela Lodges on the shores of Lake Naivasha, followed by technical visits on 29 and 30 October.