Nairobi, Kenya – March 26, 2025 – Dr. Hugo Campos from the International Potato Center (CIP), a CGIAR research center, has been recognized by the International Society for Tropical Root and Tuber Crops – Africa Branch (ISTRC-AB) at its Symposium 2025 held in Abidjan, Côte d’Ivoire, for its outstanding contributions to the development and promotion of root, tuber, and banana (RTB) crops in Africa.
RTB Breeding, a Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation investment, has played a critical role in positioning these crops, known as “hunger crops” for being available on the ground when other crops are not or have failed. In addition to CIP, other major players in RTB Breeding are the International Institute for Tropical Agriculture (IITA), France’s CIRAD, fifteen National Agricultural Research Systems form West, Central and East Africa, and several African, US- and Europe-based universities
RTB crops such as banana, cassava, potato, sweetpotato and yam—traditionally undervalued and chronically underinvested—are increasingly recognized for their climate-resilient, nutrient-dense, and income-generating opportunities for smallholder farmers and urban markets.
“This recognition speaks to CIP’s long-term commitment to science and partnerships that are changing lives,” said Dr. Hugo Campos, CIP’s Deputy Director General for Research and Innovation. “RTB crops are a still largely untapped source of food and nutritional security in Africa, and our work is helping to unlock their full potential. These crops are central to our strategy and essential to building more resilient food systems.”
CIP’s sustained focus on clonal crops underpins the center’s CIP 2030 Strategy. The center works closely with other CGIAR centers, national research programs, development agencies, and local innovators to scale science-based solutions to farmers across the continent.
CIP’s leadership in this space reflects its decades of experience and reputation as a trusted partner in agricultural research for development. The recent recognition from ISTRC-AB, presented to Dr. Campos, is a tribute to the collaborative spirit and unflinching focus on farmers, that have made CIP a leader in RTB innovation.