As the novel coronavirus (COVID-19) continues to spread around the world and disrupt the operations of many organizations, the International Potato Center (CIP) is actively taking measures to ensure our staff, beneficiaries and partners remain healthy as teams begin working remotely, in line with best international practice and responses of host governments in the countries in which we work.
CIP has national offices in 19 countries where the spread of coronavirus poses a substantial threat. We want to make sure our work does not exacerbate the problem. As such, we have updated our operations policies and made certain recommendations for staff:
- All international travel is currently banned.
- National travel is heavily restricted.
- All staff are encouraged to work from home, unless their job entails essential services that must be performed on site.
- Taking a country-by-country approach, follow all instructions from donors and national and international health agencies.
- We have instructed staff to observe all government guidelines and measures to ensure the health and safety of the public, family and partners.
CIP teams continue to perform internal risk assessments and business continuity planning to ensure the safety of our staff while continuing our mission – as much as possible – to ensure food and nutrition security, income generation, and inclusive growth for resource-poor farming families around the world. We continue to stand alongside our staff and beneficiaries during this international crisis.
Our apologies if information requests are delayed as a result of adapting to these new circumstances.
Below are sources of information on the coronavirus and how individuals can help stop further spread of the disease.
World Health Organization – Advice for the Public
Center for Disease Control and Prevention – How to Protect Yourself