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Stories Cultivating a Brighter Future: How CIP’s Strategic Vision Transformed People’s Lives Biodiversity story Mobilizing genetic diversity to enrich agroecologies and livelihoods Crop improvement story Developing and delivering superior varieties that meet changing farmer and consumer demands Regenerative improvement story Improving farmers’ productivity and income, while building resilience in agricultural systems for sustainable and equitable growth Urban Food Systems story ADAPTING AGRICULTURAL AND FOOD INNOVATIONS TO IMPROVE URBAN DIETS AND LIVELIHOODS
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2023 was an exciting year of change at CIP. With a new Director General joining at the start of the year, we mobilized our partners and staff to develop a new organizational Strategy while continuing our amazing science and innovation programs in potato, sweetpotato, and agrobiodiversity. Our new CIP2030 Strategy puts us on a focused path to accelerate and deepen the impact of our science and innovation on the UN Sustainable Development Goals by 2030.
As we embark on this new path, this Annual Report also reflects on CIP’s achievements in the recent past and draws lessons for a successful future. Over the past ten years, CIP has made remarkable strides in addressing the complexities of 21st-century agrifood systems. Our research programs have empowered communities across the globe by conserving crop genetic diversity, enhancing agricultural productivity, and addressing nutritional deficiencies. Our genebank, a cornerstone of this strategy, has been vital in safeguarding plant genetic diversity and supporting farmers with innovative crop varieties.
Key achievements include the development of early maturing, market-preferred, and biofortified potato varieties, significantly benefiting over seven million households. Our work in potato biofortification and seed system improvements has substantially increased farm productivity and resilience. Additionally, our Sweetpotato Agrifood Systems program, notably the SweetGains project, made groundbreaking advances in sweetpotato breeding, positively impacting millions of households in Africa and Asia.
As we build upon these successes, we are excited to introduce our CIP2030 Strategy to drive an even greater impact in the years ahead. Central to this plan are our partnerships with national, regional and global constituencies who have helped set a new direction for CIP. As part of this, we have developed a broader root and tuber crops approach from our continued core mandate on potato and sweetpotato.
We re-focus our research strategy on four Science Goals: Biodiversity, Crop Improvement, Regenerative Agriculture, and Urban Food Systems.
Our commitment to biodiversity involves mobilizing nature’s wealth to enhance agrifood systems and strengthen their resilience and sustainability. We help safeguard the world’s agricultural heritage for future generations and make this wealth accessible for farmers and the entire agrifood sector worldwide. Our genebanks and advanced techniques like cryopreservation will play an ever greater role in preserving biodiversity and supporting agricultural innovation.
Crop improvement empowers farmers with crop varieties that thrive in diverse conditions, ensuring food security under climate change and enhancing nutritional outcomes. Through crop improvement, we develop nutrient-rich crop varieties that support healthier diets. Introducing iron and zinc biofortified potato varieties alongside biofortified sweetpotato will significantly enhance nutritional security. We will work with private and public sector partners to pursue novel hybrid breeding approaches for potato that will set an example for other root and tuber crops in future.
Regenerative agriculture represents a transformative shift in farming practices, promoting soil health, biodiversity, and climate resilience. Our approach combines productivity gains and environmental stewardship, ensuring sustainable agriculture for generations. Innovative approaches like Potato Zero Tillage offer new perspectives on a sustainable future for farmers in regions facing environmental degradation and water scarcity.
Our Science Goal on ‘Urban Food Systems’ recognizes that rapid urbanization is a main driver of food systems transformation that provides both risks and opportunities for the future of agriculture. As potato, sweetpotato and other root and tuber crops continue to be the staple food of growing urban populations, science and innovation for more resource-efficient production, better post-harvest management, and reduced food losses and food waste are a priority demand around countries and cities in the Global South.
In 2023, we also saw the further strengthening of the One CGIAR Integrated Partnership, and CIP has been at the forefront of this effort. For achieving the goals of the new CIP2030 Strategy, strong alignment and vibrant interactions within the One CGIAR Integrated Partnership will be essential, as will be genuine and equitable partnerships with our constituencies in the Global South.
As we embark on this new strategic journey, we extend our deepest gratitude to the dedicated scientists, staff, partners, and donors whose tireless efforts have been instrumental in our achievements. Together, we will continue to harness the power of agricultural innovation to create a more food-secure and sustainable future for all.
Simon Heck | Director General Helen Hambly-Odame | Board Chair
FOREWORD
2023 was an exciting year of change at CIP. With a new Director General joining at the start of the year, we mobilized our partners and staff to develop a new organizational Strategy while continuing our amazing science and innovation programs in potato, sweetpotato, and agrobiodiversity. Our new CIP2030 Strategy puts us on a focused path to accelerate and deepen the impact of our science and innovation on the UN Sustainable Development Goals by 2030.
As we embark on this new path, this Annual Report also reflects on CIP’s achievements in the recent past and draws lessons for a successful future. Over the past ten years, CIP has made remarkable strides in addressing the complexities of 21st-century agrifood systems. Our research programs have empowered communities across the globe by conserving crop genetic diversity, enhancing agricultural productivity, and addressing nutritional deficiencies. Our genebank, a cornerstone of this strategy, has been vital in safeguarding plant genetic diversity and supporting farmers with innovative crop varieties.
Key achievements include the development of early maturing, market-preferred, and biofortified potato varieties, significantly benefiting over seven million households. Our work in potato biofortification and seed system improvements has substantially increased farm productivity and resilience. Additionally, our Sweetpotato Agrifood Systems program, notably the SweetGains project, made groundbreaking advances in sweetpotato breeding, positively impacting millions of households in Africa and Asia.
As we build upon these successes, we are excited to introduce our CIP2030 Strategy to drive an even greater impact in the years ahead. Central to this plan are our partnerships with national, regional and global constituencies who have helped set a new direction for CIP. As part of this, we have developed a broader root and tuber crops approach from our continued core mandate on potato and sweetpotato. We re-focus our research strategy on four Science Goals: Biodiversity, Crop Improvement, Regenerative Agriculture, and Urban Food Systems.
Our commitment to biodiversity involves mobilizing nature’s wealth to enhance agrifood systems and strengthen their resilience and sustainability. We help safeguard the world’s agricultural heritage for future generations and make this wealth accessible for farmers and the entire agrifood sector worldwide. Our genebanks and advanced techniques like cryopreservation will play an ever greater role in preserving biodiversity and supporting agricultural innovation.
Crop improvement empowers farmers with crop varieties that thrive in diverse conditions, ensuring food security under climate change and enhancing nutritional outcomes. Through crop improvement, we develop nutrient-rich crop varieties that support healthier diets. Introducing iron and zinc biofortified potato varieties alongside biofortified sweetpotato will significantly enhance nutritional security. We will work with private and public sector partners to pursue novel hybrid breeding approaches for potato that will set an example for other root and tuber crops in future.
Regenerative agriculture represents a transformative shift in farming practices, promoting soil health, biodiversity, and climate resilience. Our approach combines productivity gains and environmental stewardship, ensuring sustainable agriculture for generations. Innovative approaches like Potato Zero Tillage offer new perspectives on a sustainable future for farmers in regions facing environmental degradation and water scarcity.
Our Science Goal on ‘Urban Food Systems’ recognizes that rapid urbanization is a main driver of food systems transformation that provides both risks and opportunities for the future of agriculture. As potato, sweetpotato and other root and tuber crops continue to be the staple food of growing urban populations, science and innovation for more resource-efficient production, better post-harvest management, and reduced food losses and food waste are a priority demand around countries and cities in the Global South.
In 2023, we also saw the further strengthening of the One CGIAR Integrated Partnership, and CIP has been at the forefront of this effort. For achieving the goals of the new CIP2030 Strategy, strong alignment and vibrant interactions within the One CGIAR Integrated Partnership will be essential, as will be genuine and equitable partnerships with our constituencies in the Global South.
As we embark on this new strategic journey, we extend our deepest gratitude to the dedicated scientists, staff, partners, and donors whose tireless efforts have been instrumental in our achievements. Together, we will continue to harness the power of agricultural innovation to create a more food-secure and sustainable future for all.
As we build upon the successes of the past decade, we are excited to introduce our CIP2030 strategic plan, which aims to drive an even greater impact in the years ahead. Central to this plan are four Science Goals: Biodiversity, Crop Improvement, Regenerative Agriculture, and Urban Food Systems. Our commitment to biodiversity involves preserving nature’s wealth and enhancing our agrifood systems’ resilience and sustainability. We empower farmers with diverse and resilient crop varieties by safeguarding our agricultural heritage for future generations. Our genebanks and advanced techniques like cryopreservation will continue to play a crucial role in preserving biodiversity and supporting agricultural resilience.
Crop improvement empowers farmers with crop varieties that thrive in diverse conditions, ensuring food security and nutritional outcomes. Through crop improvement, we foster nutritional security by developing nutrient-rich crop varieties, addressing the root causes of malnutrition, and promoting healthier diets. Introducing iron and zinc biofortified potato varieties and hybrid sweetpotato breeding will be pivotal in enhancing nutritional security and agricultural productivity.
Regenerative agriculture represents a transformative shift in farming practices, promoting soil health, biodiversity, and climate resilience. Our commitment to regenerative agriculture strikes a balance between productivity and environmental stewardship, ensuring sustainable agriculture for generations to come. Innovative approaches like Potato Zero Tillage through Rice Straw Mulch will revolutionize farming practices, especially in regions facing environmental degradation and water scarcity.
Urban food systems are crucial in addressing the challenges of urbanization promoting food security, sustainability, and economic opportunities in urban areas. Through urban food systems, we bridge the gap between rural producers and urban consumers, empowering smallholder farmers and enhancing food access in urban centers. Initiatives in cities like Dhaka and Lima will focus on sustainable urban food production, innovative farming techniques, and efficient resource utilization to meet the needs of growing urban populations.
As we embark on this new strategic journey, we extend our deepest gratitude to the dedicated scientists, staff, partners, and donors whose tireless efforts have been instrumental in our achievements. Together, we will continue to harness the power of agricultural innovation to create a more food-secure and sustainable future for all.