Peter VanderZaag (Board Chair)
Dr. Peter VanderZaag (Canada) obtained his PhD in Tropical Agronomy and Soil Science from the University of Hawaii. He has 20 years of experience as a large-scale conventional and organic potato farmer in Ontario, Canada. Peter has a small, on-farm research program that develops varieties of potato with tolerance to scab and insects and with low reducing sugars after long-term storage. He is studying how to grow Asian sweetpotatoes in the temperate climate of Ontario.
Previously, Peter was employed by CIP in Central Africa (Rwanda) and served as Regional Director in South East Asia (the Philippines). Since then, Peter has consulted with numerous organizations and has been particularly active with the Canadian Foodgrains Bank (CFGB) in providing the necessary expertise in North Korea, Ethiopia, Burundi, and Bangladesh.
Peter is honored to share the challenges and opportunities that CIP faces today. During a time of global food insecurity, CIP is well positioned to reduce poverty and achieve food security because of its many partnerships around the world. Since becoming Board Chair in 2009, Peter has been active in the CGIAR reform process, including development of the Consortium Board and its functions.
Peter has published over 50 articles on potato research in refereed journals, most recently “Towards Sustainable Potato Production: Experience with Alternative Methods of Pest and Disease Control on a Commercial Potato Farm” (American Journal of Potato Research. 2010. 87: 428-433).
