The Capacity Strengthening Department (CSD) of The International Potato Center (CIP) replaces the former Training Department at CIP.

The CSD will build on much of the good training work done at CIP since its founding in 1970. Subject to available resources the CSD will continue to support training as a means to help strengthen developing countries’ research capacities and improve potato and sweetpotato sector development impacts.

At the same time CIP also recognizes that training is just one possible component of a wider, more holistic and diversified educational and capacity strengthening approach with potentially broader impacts.

The CSD will build on new insights from research and field practice on international capacity development and training. It will conduct new research to enhance partnerships for institutional learning and change within CIP and its partners to improve aid effectiveness and scale-up development impacts. The CSD will develop and implement a capacity strengthening strategy to facilitate these goals.