Potato Science for the Poor – Challenges for the New Millennium

Within the 2008 framework of the International Year of the Potato (IYP), the International Potato Center (CIP) and the United Nations Food and Agricultural Organization (FAO) are co-sponsoring a 4-day workshop. The sponsors seek to bring together the leaders in the potato and research-for-development communities with the objectives of advancing discussions on how to understand potato science for the poor in today’s developing world and, with improved understanding, how to enhance the impact of potato science in increasing productivity, profitability and sustainability of potato-based systems across the developing world.

Development over the past several decades has resulted in a developing world today that is heterogeneous. We must consider at least three developing worlds: an agriculturally- based world, a transforming world and an urbanized world each of which requires differing strategies and tactics for agriculture to contribute to development. The conference will explore the role of potato research and the development of potato-based systems in these three developing worlds.