From new technologies to improved varieties, from the World Potato Congress in the Peruvian highlands to accelerated value chains in Kenya, 2018 was a year of innovation, impact, and increasing farmer resilience to the effects of Climate Change. Read our top ten stories of the year and learn more about our commitment to growing a more food secure world.
How Gender Research — Root and Tuber Crops —is Transforming the Lives of Women and Men in Africa
Understanding the role that gender plays in diverse agricultural communities helps CIP deliver gender transformative approaches that respond to local needs and challenges.
Potato Production in Africa can be Increased by 140%: Find out How
Poor quality seed and bacterial wilt are the key culprits in reducing potato production in Sub-Saharan Africa. A modeling study conducted by CIP reveals the 12 key challenges that need to be tackled to push potato production from 8 tonnes per hectare to 24.
Potato Farmers in Uganda Wait on New ‘Victoria’
Farmers in Uganda can lose as much as 60 to 100 percent of their potato yield as a result of Late Blight disease. A new biotech version of the popular Victoria variety shows complete resistance to the disease without the use of fungicides.
Iron- and Zinc-rich Potatoes Hold the Promise of Better Health for Rural Families
Pervasive anemia can lead to stunting and failure to thrive. CIP spent 14 years developing biofortified potato varieties high in iron and zinc that are now being grown by Peruvian farmers.
Storing Sweetpotato in Sand can Improve Diets and Incomes in West Africa
Sand storage prolongs the shelf-life of sweetpotato, helping families bolster their nutrition for a more extended period of time while allowing farmers to optimize when they sell their roots to fetch higher prices for their harvests.
Peru and the potato stepped onto the global stage at the World Potato Congress in Cusco, Peru last May. Growers and experts from all corners of the earth gathered in the Andes, the birthplace of the potato.
Accelerating Potato and Sweetpotato Value Chains with Innovations in Kenya
From lab to spoon, farmers across Kenya improved potato and sweetpotato production and accessed new markets thanks to the USAID funded Accelerating Potato and Sweetpotato Value Chains project. An event in May celebrated project accomplishments.
Research Reveals Potential for Growing Potatoes on Mars, and Challenging Areas of Earth
A proof-of-concept study to see if potatoes could grow on Mars is proving beneficial to life on Earth. The same potatoes that grew in Martian-like conditions have potential for producing food in deserts and degraded areas of this planet.
Adaptable Productive Unica: A Potato for Farmers Around the World
Of the more than 2,000 varieties of potatoes developed by CIP breeders, Unica has proven to be one of the most well-traveled. Farmers from Kenya to China, Peru to Tajikistan have benefitted from this disease-resistant variety.
Rooted Apical Cuttings to Boost Potato Seed Systems in Kenya
Addressing seed potato shortages in Kenya with rooted apical cuttings. This new technology promises to double, or even triple potato productivity by putting quality planting materials into the hands of farmers who need them.
