Demand

The demand for root and tuber crops to ensure food security and to contribute to sustainable livelihoods in developing countries is predicted to grow steadily over the next decades. That demand, as well as increased pressure on natural resources from other animal and crop systems, makes CIP research critically important, and increases the urgency of transferring new agricultural technologies quickly from the scientist to the farmer.

Scope

CIP's research program is broad-based, comprising projects and regional/global partnerships designed and implemented to address the most pressing needs of developing country farmers (see CIP's research program). The mandate encompasses four main areas: potato, sweetpotato, Andean roots and tubers (ARTCs), and natural resource management (NRM). Research studies range from the testing and application of highly complex molecular technologies to the identification of plant defense genes for late blight resistance, to the development and evaluation of more efficient pigfeed from sweetpotatoes. The former area links CIP with advanced research labs; the latter links CIP with farmers in the field. During the last few years, CIP has made significant efforts to accelerate the flow of research results from those advanced lab studies to applications in the field through closer linkages with farmers in early phases of testing and evaluation.

Strategies

To meet these goals, CIP's strategies include building partner skills through a variety of national and international training programs. CIP training aims to build local capacity by providing courses and workshops on the use of new technologies and forums for information exchange; access to scholarships and fellowships and advanced research facilities for use of improved research and disease detection methods. Training topics include crop production and crop protection (see integrated pest and disease management of potato, sweetpotato, and ARTCs); the improved management of natural resources in mountain areas and the conservation of genetic resources for potato, sweetpotato, and ARTCs. CIP training also focuses on the development of healthier, more self-sustainable national seed systems. To improve implementation and decision-making in the use of new techologies, CIP develops and disseminates models, software, and other research tools (see: DIVA-GIS).

Benefits

By working toward the successful adoption and application of new technologies and through avanced research on crop improvement and crop protection for potato, sweetpotato, and Andean root and tuber crops, and the improved management of natural resources, CIP hopes to provide new alternatives for increasing and improving the food supply, income, health, and nutrition of the resource-poor in developing countries.

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