As potato scientists and representatives of government and industry discuss the latest advances in tuber research and agronomy at the 9th World Potato Congress, to be held in Yanqing County, Beijing, workers in that area will be advancing on the construction of a new research campus for the CIP-China Center for Asia Pacific (CCCAP).
Work on the new CCCAP facilities is moving forward – construction of secondary structures of the research building has been completed and interior finishing has begun in the office area and living quarters, whereas access roads and other infrastructure are underway. The Center’s construction serves as an example of the degree of collaboration between CIP and the Government of China.
The World Potato Congress will provide an opportunity to highlight this new facility, as CIP Director General Barbara Wells, CCCAP Director Lu Xiaoping, Deputy Director Jim Gradoville and various CIP researchers will attend the event. Once completed, CCCAP will be a fully integrated, world-class agricultural research center that will contribute to improving root and tuber production in China, East Asia and the Pacific. Research at CCCAP will include various root and tuber crops, and the center will promote technical exchanges and other cooperation, joint research and extensions services for a major, international impact.
The completion of the new CCCAP campus will establish Yanqing as a regional hub of potato research and environmentally friendly development. In addition to CCCAP, Yanqing is home to the National Engineering Research Center for Potato, the National Potato Industry High-Tech Park and Beijing Xisen Sanhe Poato Co. Ltd. – the country’s largest seed potato producer. Yanqing already plays an important role in mini-tuber production for Chinese farmers, with an annual production capacity of 150 million.