Underestimated potato as the food for the future

Posted on Mon, 05 May 2008 14:50:42 EST

As cereal prices rise, potatoes have the potential to be the affordable food for the developing countries

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Modern science and traditional science exchange views
Posted on Tue, 01 Apr 2008 14:00:58 EST

Local farmers and international potato scientists exchanged views today as they met in the Cusco Potato Park, located in the Sacred Valley of the Incas. The visit was an important part of the conference that is took place in Cusco, entitled: "Potato Science for the Poor: Challenges for the New Millennium".

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Cusco potato conference looks to “food of the future”
Posted on Tue, 25 Mar 2008 14:44:46 EST

A landmark meeting of leading scientists aims at honing strategies
 for more productive, profitable and sustainable potato-based systems


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Swiss stamp honors the potato year
Posted on Wed, 05 Mar 2008 10:17:04 EST

Switzerland has issued a postage stamp to commemorate 2008, the International Year of the Potato.

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Global Seed Vault in the Arctic will keep potatoes and sweet potatoes
Posted on Mon, 28 Jan 2008 15:45:49 EST

Thousands of wild and cultivated varieties of potato and sweetpotato from the genetic bank the International Potato Center (CIP) keeps in trust in Lima, at the end of January will be sent to the Svalbard Global Seed Vault (SGSV) in Norway.  In this facility will also be stored other important food, forage and agroforestry crops from different parts of the world.

IRRI, a CGIAR center, ships 35.5 million seed to Svalbard Global Seed Vault - 24.8 MB (WMV)

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Lima will host a Latin American science and technology planning workshop for research on potato improvement and dissemination
Posted on Mon, 28 Jan 2008 14:38:14 EST

Representatives from 10 Latin American countries will meet in Lima from January 15th - 18th to constitute the Latin American Innovation Network for Potato Improvement and Dissemination. The meeting will facilitate and promote effective collaborations between researchers and other regional actors who work on potato improvement and technological innovation.

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Peruvian potato project wins global contest
Posted on Fri, 14 Dec 2007 09:28:42 EST

LIMA - The Peruvian potato project T’ikapapa has been chosen as the winner of The World Challenge 2007, a global competition promoted by the BBC and Newsweek magazine, in association with Shell.

See Award Ceremony Video (WMV 50 MB)

See video Potato Goldmine (WMV 34 MB)


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President launches the International Year of the Potato in Peru
Posted on Thu, 06 Dec 2007 13:41:26 EST

On Thursday 22 November, the President of Peru, Alan García Pérez, officially launched the International Year of the Potato in the country, highlighting the contribution that the potato makes to the world.

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Native potatoes improved at CIP will aid Andean communities
Posted on Fri, 28 Sep 2007 09:38:43 EST

Two new varieties of native potato with resistance to late blight have been bred by CIP scientists that will add value to native potatoes and improve the income of farming communities of the High Andes who grow such varieties. The new improved native varieties also give higher yields than those of their ancestors.

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DPR Korea hosts international potato meeting
Posted on Wed, 26 Sep 2007 16:22:12 EST

Twenty potato scientists from northeast, southeast and south Asia met with their North Korean counterparts during an International Scientific Symposium on Potato held at the People’s Palace of Culture in Pyongyang, Democratic People’s Republic of Korea (DPRK) 22-24 July, 2007.

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CIP not damaged by major earthquake in Peru
Posted on Thu, 16 Aug 2007 15:13:14 EST

A magnitude 8.0 earthquake struck Peru on Wednesday, 15 August 2007 at 6.41 p.m. local time (23H41 GMT). The earthquake lasted more than two minutes. The quake was centered in the sea about 105 miles south of Lima. More tremors followed: a magnitude 5.8 quake occurred at 7:02 p.m. and magnitude 5.9 occurred at 7:19 p.m. 387 deaths and over 1,500 injured have so far been reported south of Lima, in the Ica, Chincha, Pisco and Cañete areas.

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Transgenic potatoes will not be released by CIP in the Andean countries
Posted on Thu, 16 Aug 2007 15:35:53 EST

26 July 2007 – Lima, Peru. Recent internal communications from the International Potato Center (CIP), related to an educational workshop offered to Peruvian journalists on the state of potato biotechnology, have led to some confusing reports in the international press about CIP’s development of a transgenic potato variety.

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HRH The Princess Royal visits the International Potato Center
Posted on Thu, 12 Jul 2007 13:15:58 EST

HRH The Princess Royal, Princess Anne visited the International Potato Center (CIP) in Lima, Peru on 9 July 2007.

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Potato thieves prove positive selection a success in Kenya
Posted on Fri, 22 Jun 2007 14:02:31 EST

Potato farmers in Kenya increased their potato production by 30 percent simply by using tubers from selected healthy-looking plants as seed.

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Peruvian native potato initiative wins international United Nations SEED Award 2007
Posted on Mon, 18 Jun 2007 14:33:42 EST

The T’ikapapa initiative, which packs and markets specially selected Peruvian native potatoes, has won one of five UN-sponsored SEED Awards for 2007 after being selected from among  230 proposals from 70 countries.

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The future of the potato
Posted on Tue, 29 May 2007 16:02:21 EST

In the next two decades, the world population is estimated to grow on average by more than a hundred million people per year. More than 95 percent of that increase will occur in the developing countries, where the pressures on earth, water and other natural resources is already intense.

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The Potato – Treasure of the Andes
Posted on Tue, 29 May 2007 16:43:48 EST

This highly illustrated book describes the rich tradition surrounding the potato in the Andes, its journey from Peru to the world and its enormous potential to meet future food needs. This book conveys a vision of the ancestral tradition of potato cultivation in the Andes, the migration of the crop from the Andes, the potato’s historical importance and its future potential. Filled with excellent photographs, the book is written in straightforward language and will appeals to anyone interested in the world’s fourth most important food crop.

To read on line:
http://www.cipotato.org/publications/books/potato_treasure_andes_online/

To buy:
http://www.cipotato.org/publications/books/potato_treasure_andes/

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CIP launches books on Peruvian potatoes
Posted on Tue, 03 Apr 2007 14:08:10 EST

On Thursday 22 March, in the Cultural Center of the Catholic University, the International Potato Center (CIP) launched two books that contribute to the study of the Peruvian potato, one strictly scientific, the other anthropological. Both publications constitute a clear example of the contribution that CIP makes to the science and traditional knowledge of the potatoes in Peru.

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Peruvian native potatoes nominated for UN award
Posted on Tue, 20 Feb 2007 12:16:29 EST

The United Nations has nominated the T’ikapapa initiative, which markets specially selected and packed native Peruvian potatoes under the T’ikapapa trademark, as one of the ten finalists for the Supporting Entrepreneurs for Environment and Development (Seed) Awards 2007 from 230 proposals from 70 countries.

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Growing potatoes in mid-air
Posted on Fri, 02 Feb 2007 10:23:43 EST

Growing potatoes in mid-air, in a new technique called aeroponics, is showing great promise. The technique consists of cultivating potato seedlings on specially adapted frames so that the roots, and the tubers, grow suspended in the air, without touching the soil.

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Native potatoes have comparative advantages
Posted on Mon, 19 Feb 2007 14:26:07 EST

The immense variety of Peruvian native potatoes represents a comparative advantage that the country should be developing. This was one of the conclusions of a seminar entitled “Dissemination of the Native Potato in Peruvian Gastronomy”, which was organized by the School of Gastronomy of the University San Ignacio de Loyola, in December in Lima.

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Hazardous pesticides commonly used in the Andes
Posted on Mon, 04 Dec 2006 15:05:53 EST

Farmers in Peru are continuing to damage their own health and that of their families by using toxic pesticides without proper protection. This is one of the most striking findings to come out of a study that International Potato Center (CIP) scientists recently concluded.

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Contributing to the MDGs - Annual Report 2005
Posted on Tue, 05 Dec 2006 15:15:48 EST

CIP has realigned its program with the Millennium Development Targets. The 2005 Annual Report presents brief highlights of work that we have done during the year that has had clear impact in contribute directly to the Targets.

Go to the 2005 Annual Report

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Consultative Group on International Agricultural Research: Agrarian science and technology for the development of Peru
Posted on Wed, 29 Nov 2006 14:51:48 EST

The international centers belonging to the Consultative Group on International Agricultural Research (CGIAR) are able to fulfill or support the main technology demands for the development of the mountains, jungle, and semi-arid coast of Peru.

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Increasing potato production in Afghanistan
Posted on Tue, 05 Dec 2006 14:52:35 EST

Over 3000 tonnes of healthy potato seed have been produced in Afghanistan in a step towards developing an efficient and sustainable seed production and marketing system. The eventual impact of the work will be to produce more food to reduce hunger, alleviate poverty, improve living standards of rural people and reduce the area under illicit crop production.

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Two CIP scientists decorated on Peru's National Day of the Potato
Posted on Wed, 28 Jun 2006 08:18:09 EST

Two well-known researchers of the International Potato Center (CIP) in Lima, Peru were decorated with the Order of Merit of the Diplomatic Service of Peru José Gregorio Paz Soldán by the Minister of Foreign Affairs of Peru, Dr. Oscar Maúrtua De Romaña, on 30 May 2006 during celebrations to mark the National Day of the Potato.

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Potato Park could be secondary center of origin of the potato
Posted on Thu, 31 Jan 2008 09:35:07 EST

The International Potato Center (CIP) has repatriated to the Potato Park, which is located in the Sacred Valley of the Incas in Cusco Department, Peru, 246 virus-free varieties of native potatoes. These are already in full production and yielding 30 percent more than potatoes that have not been cleaned of viruses.

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Decisión chilena de registrar papas de Chiloé no implica reclamo de propiedad genérica
Posted on Thu, 06 Apr 2006 11:16:55 EST

La decisión de especialistas de la Fundación para la Innovación Agraria de Chile, de inscribir en el Registro de Variedades Aptas para Certificación del Servicio Agrícola y Ganadero de ese país a un grupo de papas conocidas como Chilotas, originarias del Archipiélago de Chiloé (al sur de Chile), ha llevado a variadas interpretaciones por parte de algunos medios de prensa, en el sentido que tal decisión implicaría un reclamo de propiedad genérica sobre la papa.

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Roadmap to collaboration
Posted on Tue, 21 Mar 2006 11:24:21 EST

A novel approach to collaboration will allow the partners of a CGIAR Andean development initiative much greater representation at the regional level.

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Model reservoir will reduce crop contamination in the eastern cone of Lima
Posted on Tue, 04 Jan 2005 00:00:00 EST

The implementation of a model reservoir for the improvement of irrigation water quality in Nievería is a very important step in decontaminating the vegetables that Lima consumes.

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Gates Foundation grant to disseminate biofortified sweetpotato
Posted on Tue, 18 Apr 2006 11:18:04 EST

HarvestPlus has received a US$ 6 million grant from the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation to introduce a nutritionally improved staple food -orange-fleshed sweetpotato- into the diets of the undernourished in East Africa.

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T'ikapapa: The Most Innovative Food of 2005
Posted on Mon, 12 Dec 2005 10:47:43 EST

Strategic alliance of CIP with a private company wins an important award

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Origin of the potato centered in Peru
Posted on Thu, 06 Oct 2005 10:51:42 EST

The debate on the origin of the cultivated potato is moving closer to a resolution.

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The sweetpotato as a weapon against hunger
Posted on Wed, 24 Aug 2005 15:39:05 EST

Successful Chinese entrepreneur develops an innovative method for preparing products with sweetpotato

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Canada and CIP sign Project that will benefit the Altiplano of Peru and Bolivia
Posted on Wed, 24 Aug 2005 16:10:26 EST

Thousands of families that live in the altiplano of Peru and Bolivia will see their living conditions improved in the coming years, through an important project that was signed on 3 August by the Ambassador of Canada, Geneviève de Rivières, and the Director General of the International Potato Center (CIP), Dr. Pamela K. Anderson.

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Resistance to late blight still "robust" say researchers
Posted on Fri, 05 Aug 2005 10:38:08 EST

Resistance to late blight remains strong in some of the most popular varieties of potatoes. This is the conclusion of a large international study* that tested the stability of resistance of 14 potato genotypes to the fungus Phytophthora infestans, which causes late blight.

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Sub-Saharan Africa Regional Leader
Posted on Tue, 09 Aug 2005 16:07:21 EST

The International Potato Center (CIP) is pleased to announce that as of mid-October 2005 , Dr. Jan Low is joining CIP as the Sub-Saharan Africa Regional Leader, to be based at Nairobi.

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CIP celebrates National Potato Day
Posted on Wed, 06 Jul 2005 10:23:11 EST

As part of the national celebrations of Peru’s first National Potato Day, CIP held an open day on the theme of the technology and germplasm of the potato. The display was held in association with the Government’s multisectoral commission for the celebration at CIP’s headquarters in Lima, Peru on 28 May 2005.

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New Director General takes over International Potato Center
Posted on Fri, 06 May 2005 08:10:56 EST

Dr. Pamela Anderson took over as the new Director-General of the International Potato Center, from 1 May, replacing Dr. Hubert Zandstra, who directed CIP from 1991.

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CIP Board honors outgoing Director General
Posted on Fri, 06 May 2005 09:24:41 EST

The Board of Trustees of the International Potato Center (CIP) has dedicated the CIP Biodiversity Complex to Hubert Zandstra, the Director General, who is retiring at the end of April 2005 after 14 years of service.

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CIP signs innovative agreement with local farmers to conserve native potatoes
Posted on Fri, 06 May 2005 09:25:08 EST

Under the scheme, CIP scientists and local farmers are working together to establish domesticated varieties and wild potato relatives from CIP's germplasm collection in a 'potato park'.

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