INTERVIEW WITH MIGUEL ORDINOLA
November 22, 2017 – 08:01 by: José Carlos León Carrasco
According to CIP’s Latin American Project Coordinator in Peru, Miguel Ordinola:
“Many of the potato-related problems in the world today can be solved if we look at Peru’s experience”
The world is facing problems of food and nutrition security, besides difficulties in obtaining food supplies, so we should look to this part of the world as a global pantry.
(Agraria-pe) From May 27 to 31, 2018, the city of Cusco (Peru) will host the 10th World Potato Congress and the 28th Latin American Potato Association Congress. Agraria.pe discussed the relevance of the two events with the Latin American Project Coordinator of the International Potato Center (CIP) in Peru, Miguel Ordinola.
How significant is it that our country will be hosting this 10th World Potato Congress?
It will be the first time in 30 years for the World Potato Congress to be held in Latin America, and the fact that Peru was selected is recognition that this is a biodiverse country.
The potato sector in Peru has grown a lot in recent years at the Latin American level, so the event will be a great opportunity for our country to share with the rest of the world all our ideas on the development of the potato sector, in particular the theme of biodiversity.
Many of the potato-related problems in the world today can be solved if we look at Peru’s experience.
What is Peru going to show?
The first thing Peru will show will be producers who are associated with this product in terms of both food and nutrition security and income generation; as well as their contribution with regard to the potato varieties that have been released in the country.
It will also show (small, medium, and large-scale) entrepreneurs who have committed themselves to developing different potato varieties in Peru; as well as the public policies that have promoted the sector’s growth and that we are now seeking to replicate in other contexts.
The slogan for this world congress is “Back to the roots for a better future.” What does this imply?
The world is beset with problems of food security, nutrition security, and obtaining food supplies, so going back to the roots means looking to this part of the world as a global pantry.
The pantry is linked with the whole theme of biodiversity and its valuation; this opens doors not only to potato, but in general to different products that will mean the region can become a global pantry in the coming 30 years. We have this part of the world that can make a huge contribution to avoiding the kinds of issues relating to food shortages and malnutrition.
