CIP Annual Report 2010

8/9/2019 CIP Annual Report 2010

1/125International Potato Center

AnnualReport 2010


2/1252 International Potato Center Annual Report 2010

Reverso dela Caratula

Internationa Potato Center Annua Report 2010

The International Potato Center (known

by its Spanish acronym CIP) is a research-

for-development organization with a focus

on potato, sweetpotato, and Andean roots

and tubers. CIP is dedicated to delivering

sustainable science-based solutions to the

pressing world issues of hunger, poverty,

gender equity, climate change and the

preservation of our Earths fragile biodiversity

and natural resources.

Our vision is roots and tubers improving

the lives of the poor. Our mission is to

work with partners to achieve food security,

well-being, and gender equity for poor

people in root and tuber farming and food

systems in the developing world. We do this

through research and innovation in science,

technology, and capacity strengthening.


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Vision and mission 2Statement by the Board Chair 4Foreword from the Director General 6Introduction 9

A strategy for enhancing impacts 10Priority areas 13Potato in tropical and subtropical highlands increasing profits, improving nutrition 14

Pumping up potatoes for highland communities iron biofortification 16The Andean potato sector repositioning for todays opportunities 18Potatoes a priority for top leaders in Mozambique 20Potato in sub-tropical lowlands promoting early maturing varieties to diversify 22cereal-based systems80-day potatoes open window for diversifying cereal-based systems in India 24Cooperation 88 synonymous with potato and success 26Potato in temperate Asia conserving water, enhancing incomes 28Picking up the pace for potatoes in Central Asia 30Sweetpotato in Sub-Saharan Africa enhancing income generation and health 32Agricultural + health services = win-win in Kenya 34Another foot soldier in the battle against malnutrition CIPs OFSP for Africa catalogue 36Sweetpotato in Asia adding value to a multipurpose crop 38

Impacts of sweetpotato for pig feed in Papua-Indonesia, not just financial 40

Nurseries and taste tests a recipe for better health and livelihoods in Orissa, India 42Global program: Sustaining genetic resources 44Unique partnership continues between CIP and the Pisaq Potato Park 46Wild potatoes genes enlisted in the late blight arms race 48Global program: Accelerating genetic enhancement 50Improved variety Amarilis packs significant impacts 52Color chart sheds (deep orange-yellow) light on sweetpotato biofortification 54Virtual catalogue presents best potato varieties in English, Spanish, and Chinese 55Global program: Understanding complex systems 56Predicting global warmings effects on insect pests 58New tool offers a gendered lens for boosting womens participation in innovative processes 60Strategic corporate processes 62Gold standard upheld in CIP genebank management 64Data Gurus 66

Outputs 2010 69CIP staff publications 2010 70Output reporting 2010 90CIP in 2010 105Financial report 106Donor contributions 108Global contact points 109Senior management team 112CIPs internal structure 113CIP staff list 114CGIAR centers 122

Contents


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2010 was a successful yearfor CIP. The center expanded its research program to continue playing

an important role in improving potato and sweetpotato production systems and the livelihoods of

millions of people around the world.

Early in the year, CIP offi cially joined the Consortium of International Agricultural Research Centers.

In July, CIP was designated as the lead center of the CGIAR Research Program on Roots, Tubers, and

Bananas. During the year, CIP started to take steps to implement a new research matrix structure and

move ahead with internal initiatives that will strengthen CIPs ability to grow and decentralize further.

CIPs financial indicators reflect that the Center is growing. To support the growth in its research

portfolio, CIP also is adjusting administrative processes to be more streamlined, transparent,

and accountable.

Together, these changes are serving to strengthen CIP and the CGIAR system to further meet the

challenges of food security, poverty, and environmental degradation facing our world

I would like to express my gratitude and appreciation to Mr. Edward Sayegh, Dr. Juan Risi, and Dr. S.

Edison who served with dedication and high standards during their tenure as Board members. I also

Statementby the Board Chair


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welcome our new Board members Ms. Phyllis Kibui, Dr. Zhang Taolin, and Mr. Cesar Paredes, who

joined the Board in 2010.

On behalf of the Board, I would like to thank CIPs donors, investors, and all CGIAR partners for

their support. I also extend my appreciation to CIPs management and staff for their continued

dedication to the organization and its important mission.

Dr. Peter VanderZaag

Chair, Board of Trustees

From left to right: Dr. Stella

Williams, Dr. Zhang Taolin,

Dr. S. Edison, Dr. Simon Best,

Dr. Pamela K. Anderson,

Dr. Peter VanderZaag,

Dr. Jose Valle-Riestra,

Dr. Juan Risi, Ms. Phyllis Kibui


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For the past 40 years, advances in food production led to significant progress in the provision

of cheap and abundant food to meet global demand. However, the grain crisis of 2007-2008 and

subsequent food riots that took place in more than 30 countries brought to light the fact that our

world is currently facing a major food crisis for the first time in generations one that remains

largely unrecognized.

The days of cheap and abundant food are behind us. New pressures are combining with traditional

ones to drive demand up and supply down. Food stocks are the lowest they have been since the

1980s. Investments in agricultural research and development have decreased, and demand for food,

including for the use of products such as biofuels, is on the rise.

In the next two decades, the worlds population will grow by more than a hundred million people a

year. Most of this growth will come in the developing countries, where the pressures on earth, water,

and other natural resources are already intense. The supply of arable land is decreasing in the face of

growing urbanization and climate change. As a result, one of the greatest challenges we will face in

the coming decades will be that of ensuring food security for our world.

It is this challenge, and its terrible urgency, that frame and drive CIPs Strategic and Corporate Plan for

the next ten years.

Food security exists when all people at all times are free from hunger. We know that of the top ten

foods upon which the world depends for food security, potato and sweetpotato rank third and

sixth, respectively. In some parts of the world, they are expected to play an increasingly critical

role in the coming decades. For example, China expects to need to increase its food production by

100,000,000 tons in the next 20 years to meet its growing population with fully 50,000,000 tons of

it coming from potatoes alone. Fortunately, potato and sweetpotato offer enormous potential for

improved yields. We have seen that planting virus-and pest-free planting material for sweetpotato

can boost yields by 30 percent or more underscoring the continued importance of developing and

disseminating resistant varieties adapted to current and potential future environmental stresses.

Improving productivity, however, is not enough. The strategies needed to alleviate hunger are

complex and adapted to the distinct issues facing the three different types of developing countries;

urbanized, agricultural-based, and those in transformation from agriculture to urban-based

economies and structures. Ensuring food security requires a systems-based approach, with long-

term investments and solutions. For CIP this means recognizing how potato and sweetpotato fit

into multiple systems, such as production systems, marketing systems, and value chains. It also

Forewordfrom the Director General


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means expanding their potential value for improving nutrition, gender equity, and livelihoods,

particularly among the poorest and most vulnerable populations.

The grain price crisis of recent years was a true wake up call. In a post-surplus world, we can no

longer take food for granted.

It is with these challenges in mind that CIP has prepared its Strategic and Corporate Plan. The full

plan is quite detailed and complex. However, there are underlying priorities throughout the plan,

which drive its construction and merit highlighting.

First, from the research perspective, the priorities and anticipated outcomes reflected in this plan

are based on a research model. Called the Pro-Poor Research and Development Cycle model, it

includes five stages (targeting, needs/opportunities assessment, research, scaling out, and impact

assessment) organized in a continuous cycle with each step informing the development of the

next one. The model is designed to generate a far more focused research agenda, target needs

and opportunities, adapt to change, and incorporate analyses of impact pathways to better

understand how research outputs are taken up (or not) and how they are (or should be) used to

promote positive results.

The CIP plan also includes a much more intentional focus on issues such as gender and health.

It reflects CIPs continued dedication to the preservation of the worlds remarkably rich heritage

of potato, sweetpotato, and other Andean root crops. The urgency imposed by climate change

drives us to develop varieties that are adapted to its potential effects and methods that support

sustainable crop management systems.

Two other attributes of this plan, which represent important shifts from the past, include new

uses of rigorous international standards by which to measure our outputs and outcomes, along

with a far greater focus on management processes within the organization. CIP is not content to

rest on the laurels of the past. To meet CIPs research agenda and the application of its scientific

findings into systems that increase food security and improve lives, we recognize that CIP must

achieve excellence in everything we do. The world cannot afford for us to accept anything less.

Thank you.

Pamela K. Anderson

Director General

Dr. Pamela K. Anderson,Director General


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Introduction


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CIPs Strategy and Corporate Plan:2009-2018 is designed to enhance the impacts of our

research investments and activities. It builds on a formal Vision Exercise that was undertaken with

CIP staff and stakeholders to align CIPs research agenda with the UN Millennium Development

Goals and ensure that it was directed at areas of greatest need and potential. The plan includes an

impact-driven research agenda and improved management processes to support those objectives.

The priority areas and issues for CIPs research agenda were identified using a formal targeting

exercise, which identified the agroecological regions where potato or sweetpotato cultivation are

most widespread among poor people. This information was combined with data on livelihood

indicators in those regions (e.g., per capita income, nutritional status, child mortality rates, and

maternal mortality rates) to not only underscore areas of greatest need but also pinpoint the

distinct combination of issues and opportunities affecting poor producers and communities that

could be most effectively addressed by CIP.

The results have led CIP to focus on five Geographic Programs, which reflect the three principle

potato and two major sweetpotato agroecoregions of the world that offer the greatest

combination of need and potential impact:

Potato in tropical and subtropical highlands.The high rates of isolation, poverty,

and poor nutrition in these areas, along with their vulnerability to increasing pressures

from climate change, have led CIP to focus on strategies to address poverty and improve

nutrition in these regions.

Potato in sub-tropical lowlands of Asia.These areas have high potential for expanding

potato production by promoting early maturing varieties that can grow during fallow periods

between grain crops to boost food diversity, supply, and farmer incomes.

Potato in temperate Asia.Potato is a key food and cash crop in this region, which is experi-

encing the effects of climate change acutely. The focus of CIP efforts is on boosting yields and

incomes, with development and dissemination of varieties that can resist drought, soil salinity,

and biotic stresses along with methods to improve water and natural resource management.

Sweetpotato in Sub-Saharan Africa.Orange-fleshed sweetpotato offers great untapped

potential to combat widespread vitamin A deficiency and enhance livelihoods, particularly for

A strategyfor enhancing impacts


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women and children in this region. CIP is engaged with many public and private partners in

creative strategies to diversify its use, expand its value, and raise its profile across the region.

Sweetpotato in Asia. Sweetpotato is a multi-purpose crop in Asia, used for food, animal

feed, and processing. Recognizing that Asia is the biggest producer and consumer of

sweetpotato, CIP is focused on expanding its value for poor, small-scale producers through

greater yields, uses, and access.

In addition, the CIP research agenda includes three programs that are not region-specific but

which produce crucial global public good research outputs. CIPs three Global Programs are:

Sustaining genetic resources.As climate change and urbanization place additional

pressure on the land, CIP is redoubling its commitment to the safety and utilization

of the crop collections in its care. Research priorities include support for in-situcommunity

conservation programs and initiatives that encourage the re-introduction of traditional

varieties, along with ex-situcollection and preservation in the CIP genebank.

Accelerating genetic enhancement.The discovery of new genes and the development of

tools to guide their use are critical steps toward continuing improvements in crop protection,

productivity, and value. CIPs breeding program is dedicated to developing durable resistanceto major pests and diseases, enhancing market and nutritional value, and improving

adaptation to climate change and marginal environments.

Understanding complex systems.Multiple interdisciplinary skills are involved in

engaging the social, health, economic, and cultural dimensions that help research to deliver

concrete results. CIP works with diverse specialists (agro-economists, sociologists,gender

specialists, anthropologists, statisticians, post harvest specialists, and health professionals)

to bring together the expertise, strategies, and tactics which add value to CIPs commodity

research.

In 2010, CIP began to implement the principles of its new corporate and strategic plan with

greater accountability in management practices and a reorientation of the research structure to

support the targeted priorities.

The following chapters provide examples of ways CIP is putting those new priorities into practice.


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13/125International Potato Center Annual Report 2010nternat ona otato enter Annua Report 2010

Priorityare

as



Potato in tropical and

subtropical highlandsincreasing profits,

improving nutrition

Seed systems

Decision support systems

Risk assesment for key pests

Biological control

DSS for land management for

Value change innovations

climate change adaptation

Resistant biofortified

market-oriented

varieties

to manage pests, diseases (DSS)

INCREASED PROFIT

AND NUTRITION


15/125International Potato Center Annual Report 2010

Potato was first domesticated in the highlands of the

Andes, which is the primary center for the

conservation of potato biodiversity. The highlands of Asia and

Africa also share similar agro-ecologies and critical characteristics.

They represent remote areas, with high rates of poverty and poor nutrition that

also are at high risk because of climate change. Potato pests and diseases are

increasing and moving up the mountains due to warming trends, at the same time

that there is pressure for intensification of production because of food security

needs. Areas of key focus for CIP in these regions include the development of

varieties with higher micronutrient content to improve nutrition, the use of

innovative agricultural management approaches to preserve soil and water

resources, and the implementation of participatory market approaches

to increase incomes and promote sustainable development in poor communities.



Iron deficiencyis the most common nutritional

disorder in the world affecting 50% of pregnant

women and 40% of preschool children in

developing countries, according to the World

Health Organization. Since potatoes are naturally

good sources of iron, CIP is working to addfurther nutritional value through breeding, or

biofortification, of potato. It is a very promising

alternative for improving health in poor

communities, where access to meat is limited,

and people cannot afford commercially fortified

foods and vitamin supplements.

The bioavailability of iron in potato is also

important, and can be greater than that from

cereals and legumes. Potatoes have high levels of

ascorbic acid, which promotes iron absorption.

They also have low levels of phytic acid,

which inhibits iron absorption. CIP efforts are

focused on identifying and breeding varieties

that are rich in both iron concentration and

bioavailability.

Health consequences of iron deficiencyinclude impaired physical and cognitive

development, increased risk of morbidity in

children, and reduced work productivity in

adults. In the Peruvian highlands, up to 60% of

preschool children suffer the stunting effects of

malnutrition, with iron deficiency as the main

contributing factor.

Potato is a key food staple in these areas, but

its potential for combating malnutrition is not

well known or exploited. So improving iron

concentrations and bioavailability in potato can

have real impact in these areas, says Gabriela

Burgos, who leads the Quality and NutritionLaboratory at CIP.

CIP has screened nearly 900 native and improved

potato varieties for iron concentrations, finding

wide variations and a large genetic diversity that

can be exploited in breeding programs.

We selected a group of potatoes for their

high levels of iron, conducted a whole series of

crosses with them, and studied the progeny,

explains CIP agronomist Walter Amors. From

a baseline iron content of 19mg /kg, weve

achieved levels as high as 40mg /kg after twoselection cycles.

The future challenge is to combine these

cultivars with CIPs advanced breeding lines that

have disease and pest resistance, high yield, and

high acceptance from farmers.

Pumpingup potatoesfor highlandcommunities iron biofortification

Potato in tropical and subtropical highlands increasing profits, improving nutrition

CIP has screenednearly 900 native

and improvedpotato varieties for

iron concentrations.

CIPARCHIVES



Increasing thebioavailability of ironin potato can reduceiron deficiency rates

in the highlands.

Increasing thebioavailability of ironin potato can reduceiron deficiency rates

in the highlands.


18/12518 International Potato Center Annual Report 2010 Potato in tropical and subtropical highlands increasing profits, improving nutrition

The Andeanpotato sector repositioning for todays opportunities

CIPs analysis ofthe Andean potato

sector provides datato understand its

growth and economicimportance.

Copies of El Sector Papa en la Regin Andina Diagnstico y Elementos para una Visin Estratgica

(Bolivia, Ecuador y Per) can be found at: http://www.cipotato.org/publications/pdf/005363.pdf

V.

GWINNER There are over 4,000 native Andean potatoes

in an astonishing array of shapes and colors.

Traditionally grown by generations of farmers,

they have a higher nutritional value than

the large-scale industrial varieties and are

increasingly sought after by consumers lookingfor original, healthy foods that are sustainably

and ethically produced. A range of processed and

fresh products from chips to anti-wrinkle creams

is now available with these consumers in mind.

Its a growing market, says Ordinola. It started

five years ago moving about 100 metric tons of

potato in Peru in 2005. In 2010, the figure was

5,000 tons.

The report also focuses attention for scientific

research centers and development institutes

on the continuing need to improve production.

Figures show that crop yields in Bolivia, Peru,and Ecuador are 5.7 t/ha,12 t/ha, and 9.5 t/ha,

respectively - well below the global average of

16.8 t/ha.

Armed with the numbers they need to give a

solid basis for data-driven policies, people are

already beginning to sit up and take notice.

In Ecuador, a public supported fund of over

US$ 6 million for the potato sector has been

established. In Peru, the report has prompted

promotional policies and the creation of technical

regulations and standards. The diagnostic is a

key advocacy tool for Andean farmers who, arealso the guardians of one of the worlds richest

sources of biodiversity.

CIPs Papa Andinainitiative recently published

a diagnostic report, bringing together, for thefirst time, real data on the potato sector across

three key countries - Peru, Bolivia, and Ecuador.

The result is a crucial tool for policy makers,

donors, and planners to understand the market

reality in the heartland of the potato and how it

is positioned in a global context.

Figures show that potato represents an annual

aggregate value of just over $US 1 billion for the

three countries estimated 820,000 producers.

CIP Consultant and Coordinator for Perus

INCOPA project, Miguel Ordinola, explains that

the updated diagnostic has shaped a strategicvision for this region, exploiting comparative

advantages and improving competitiveness.



Peruvianpotatoes star at Mistura

Over 400 varieties of native potatoes were exhibited for sale at Mistura,

Perus Third International Gastronomic Fair, which in 2010 featured Peruvian

potatoes as a star product. The event drew more than 200,000 visitors with

over 200 Andean potato producers showing their wares. The idea was for

the people visiting Mistura to really encounter native potatoes, says Miguel

Ordinola, Project Coordinator for CIPs Innovation and Competitiveness for

Peruvian Potato (INCOPA) Project. Many people may have heard that Peru has

more than three thousand varieties of potato, but the majority know fewer

than a dozen of them. Here they saw them in living color and experienced

firsthand this enormous and rich biodiversity.

Besides familiarizing Limas consumers with the wide range of native potatoes

available to them, the CIP-INCOPA representation at Mistura was part ofa wider strategy pursuing more ambitious goals for the future. One of our

aims was to bring home to visitors the fact that by positioning these native

potatoes in the world, we are in effect promoting the development of the

country, and helping to generate new revenue for small producers in the high

Andes, explains Ordinola.

CIPs Miguel Ordinola (INCOPA) and Andr Devaux (Papa Andina) at Mistura, were Ordinola

co-coordinated native potatos star presence.

V.

GWINNER


20/125


21/125International Potato Center Annual Report 2010Potato in tropical and subtropical highlands increasing profits, improving nutrition

Mozambiquehas fertile land and access to

major rivers, but imports most of its food. To

reverse this trend, the top leadership of the

country is dedicated to improving the domestic

farming sector. Underscoring this commitment,

Prime Minister Aires Ali, accompanied by Minister

of Agriculture Suares Nhaca paid a visit to CIPs

aeroponic facilities at Lichinga, Mozambique

on 18 February 2010. Their visit highlighted

the importance they place on developing

Mozambiques potato sector, including the need

to increase domestic potato seed production and

lessen the countrys dependence on imported

seed from South Africa.

Aeroponics is a soil-less technique in which

minitubers, to be used as potato seed, are

grown in the air. It can produce harvests with

higher yields (5 to 10 times higher) than with

conventional soil planting, in shorter amounts

of time, and at lower costs. The technique

effectively exploits the vertical space of the

greenhouse and air- humidity balance to

Mozambiques Prime MinisteAires Ali and Minister ofAgriculture Suares Nhaca(right) visit the aeroponicfacility at Lichinga-Mozambique with CIPsVictor Otazu and DieudonneHarahagazwe.

optimize the development of plant roots,

tubers, and foliage.

Lichinga, a remote and poor province of

Mozambique, has the cool weather conditions

necessary for multiplying potato seed. The

aeroponics facility is an important part of CIPs

active involvement with its partners from the

Mozambique Agrarian Research Institute to

improve quality seed production. CIP is also

involved in a parallel effort in Mozambique to

develop improved potato cultivars that can

increase yields in local conditions.

Both researchers and government ministers

are hopeful that with improved potato

technologies, we can provide healthy seed for

the regions resource-poor farmers and see

reductions in seed imports, which currently

cost Mozambique US$2 million each year,

explains CIPs Victor Otazu, who welcomed the

high-level offi cials along with his colleague,

Dieudonn Harahagazwe.

V.

OTAZU



Potato in sub-tropical

lowlands promoting earlymaturing varieties to diversify

cereal-based systems

Seed systems

Monitoring late blight and

Improve water use effi ciency

Minimize chemical leaching

Agronomy to optimize

70-day varieties

Modeling and

decision support

systems for

intensification

of potato-cereal

systems

SYSTEM MANAGEMENT

productivity

virus

DIVERSIFYING

CEREAL-BASED

AGROECOSYSTEMS



The Asian subtropical lowlands are located between

20 and 30 degrees north latitude in India, Pakistan, Nepal,

Bangladesh, Vietnam, Myanmar, and China. Here potatoes are

cultivated in the winter (dry) season. They represent the area with the highest

potential for potato expansion under irrigation. Low average day temperatures

and cool nights from November through February favor the growth and

tuberization of early potato varieties. The goal is to promote early maturing

potatoes that that can be harvested just 70 days after planting and can be

grown during fallow periods between grain crops to boost

systems productivity and farmer profits.


24/12524 International Potato Center Annual Report 2010 Potato in sub-tropical lowlands promoting early maturing varieties to diversify cereal-based systems

India is the worldsthird largest producer of

potato, where it plays a critical role in ensuring

food security for this highly populated and

growing nation. Potato is primarily grown by

resource-poor farmers in India, where it is an

important supplemental source of nutrients and

calories for people living on rice-dominated diets.

To further tap the potential of potato in Indias

tropical lowlands, CIP is collaborating with

Indias Central Potato Research Institute (CPRI)

to develop a sustainable and intensive potato-

in-cereals system, where potatoes are grown

during the hot, fallow periods between grain

crops. Key to this strategy is the development of

potatoes that can fully mature within 80 days,

so that they fit into rice or other grains systems.

The potatoes also must be adapted to local

conditions, which require varieties that are heat

tolerant and resistant to late blight, a fungus-like

disease that plagues the region and can destroy

an entire crop within weeks.

Four CIP clones are showing promising results

under field test conditions in the state of

Gujurat. The clones offer yields of 44-50t/ha

in 80 days, outperforming the currently used

improved varieties (30-42t/ha) in less time, and

far exceeding the national yield averages of less

than 20t/ha.

The implications of these advances are

significant, as Mohindar Kadian, CIP agronomistand lead on this project, explains: The

introductions of the heat tolerant and late blight

resistant 80-day varieties will not only enhance

potato in cereal-based systems but also bring

non-traditional potato growing areas under

potato cultivation to improve food security and

livelihood for resource-poor farmers.

But the efforts to promote diversification do not

stop there. CIP and CPRI also are working with

farmers to identify the features and varieties

that can help generate more income. They are

looking at strategies to diversify potato use

and processing in ways that can boost farmers

incomes from their production.

Our goal is to increase potato processing from

its current level of 5% to 20% by 2020, so that

we can improve farmer incomes and address

risks associated with overproduction of potato,

says Kadian.

80-daypotatoes open window

for diversifying cereal-based

systems in India

Developing potatoesthat can grow

between grain cropscan enhance incomes

and food security.

M.

KADIAN

M.K

ADIAN


25/125International Potato Center Annual Report 2010Potato in sub-tropical lowlands promoting early maturing varieties to diversify cereal-based systems

Four CIP clones areshowing promising

results for yields,adaptability, and

maturity in 80 days.

Four CIP clones areshowing promising

results for yields,adaptability, and

maturity in 80 days.


26/12526 International Potato Center Annual Report 2010 Potato in sub-tropical lowlands promoting early maturing varieties to diversify cereal-based systems

Cooperation 88synonymous

with potato and success

CIPs cooperation88 has become oneof the most widelygrown potatoes in

the world.

CIPARCHIVES


27/125International Potato Center Annual Report 2010Potato in sub-tropical lowlands promoting early maturing varieties to diversify cereal-based systems

Born of acommon goal shared between CIP

and the Yunnan Normal University in China,

the Cooperation 88 potato has become one of

the most widely grown cultivars in the world,

less than 15 years after its release.

In some areas where it is produced,

Cooperation 88 is so popular in that its name

has become synonymous with the word

for potato, notes CIP Board Chair, Peter

VanderZaag, who served as CIPs coordinator

for Asia when the variety was developed

and introduced.

Having become the preferred potato for fresh

consumption and for the potato chip industry,

it is no wonder that the name is so ubiquitous.

Today, the production area of Cooperation 88

in China is 390,000 ha. In comparison, Russet

Burbank, the highly recognizable leadingpotato cultivar in the United States and

Canada occupies just 175,000 ha.

Cooperation 88 was initially developed in

1988 in Yunnan Province, when CIP and

Yunnan Normal University identified the

need to develop a cultivar that had high

eating quality and was resistant to late blight

disease and various potato viruses. The

challenge was to find ways to adapt existing

late blight resistant varieties, which had been

developed for short-day tropical highland

environments, to the longer-day conditions ofthis subtropical region.

The MSc thesis of a CIP-supported Vietnamese

graduate student, Dao Huy Chien, provided

(reference article: Li C, Wang J, Chien DH, Chujoy E, Song B, VanderZaag P., (3 Nov 2010.)

Cooperation 88: A high yielding, multi-purpose, late blight resistant cultivar growing in Southwest

China. American Journal of Potato Research. Vol 88, isue 2; 190-194.

the strategy for crossing late blight resistant

CIP clones with CIP germplasm that was

disease resistant but not well adapted to

regional conditions. Following two rounds

of selection and 5 years of trials, the #88

was selected as most promising. It provedto be earlier maturing and with yields

that outperformed the control cultivar by

5-76%, with high resistance and excellent

tuber quality. It was offi cially released

in 1996.

Another key benefit of Cooperation 88 is

that it fetches a premium price, because

consumers prefer its appearance and

taste to other varieties. Coupled with its

excellent performance, it is no wonder that

Cooperation 88 has expanded rapidly to

other regions of China (Guizhou, Sichuan,

Guangxi, and Chongquing) and into othercountries, such as Vietnam and Myanmar.

Cooperation 88 has been evaluated

annually since 2002 under local conditions.

It continues to show a high level of durable

resistance to late blight in both the leaves

and tubers.

It also offers excellent resistance to major

potato viruses (PVYo , PVX, and PLRV). You

can observe many fields of Cooperation

88 before finding a single visually infected

virus plant, even when other cultivars areheavily infected, comments VanderZaag. As

a result, farmers can keep and reuse their

seed for many generations, maintaining the

same high quality and yields.



Potato in temperate Asia

conserving water, enhancingincomes

Seed systems

Drought and late

blight resistant

varieties

Modeling and risk

assessment for

drought

Improve water use effi ciency

CONSERVING

WATER AND IMPROVING

INCOME



The temperate regions of Asia include portions of China,

Korea, and Central Asia, where potato is an important

food and cash crop. Parts of these regions are experiencing the

effects of climate change at a more rapid rate than the rest of the world. CIPs

focus in this region is to accelerate the adoption of more productive potato

varieties, resistant to drought, soil salinity, and increased risks of biotic stresses.

Equally important are efforts to extend the benefits of improved water and

seed management techniques. In addition, new investments are being made

to help national programs which vary greatly in capacity and experience to

establish and maintain effective seed supply systems. Priority also is being given

to working with social scientists in an effort to establish policies

that lead to improvements in natural resources management and market chains.


30/12530 International Potato Center Annual Report 2010 Potato in temperate Asia conserving water, enhancing incomes

Feeling the heatof climate change, CIP is speed-

ing up the breeding process for developing

drought and disease resistant potato varieties in

Central Asia slashing the time it usually takes

by years.

In 2010, the national agricultural research

program in Kyrgyzstan released five new potato

varieties, only 5 years after the clones had been

introduced by CIP, through a partnership with

the Aga Khan Foundation. Normally it takes up to

20 years to develop and release a new variety.

By using the genetics we have built up these

last 40 years at CIP, weve developed potential

varieties with a high probability of desired traits

for local conditions in Central Asia, explains

Merideth Bonierbale, leader of CIPs Germplasm

Enhancement and Crop Improvement Division.

This allowed us to skip the usual 4-6 years ofselection in the fields and labs of Peru, and plant

them directly in the target countries, where they

could be tested and selected according to local

conditions, she adds.

It can take 12-15 years before a new variety

is offi cially released by a national program. In

Kyrgyzstan, however, the local State Committee

for Variety Testing released the new varieties in

record time, following the required testing for

distinctiveness, uniformity, and stability (DSU)

and for value for cultivation and use (VCU).

Central Asian countries are being hard hit by

climate change. Shrinking glaciers and extreme

weather conditions are threatening food

security in Kyrgyzstan and Tajikistan, which

also serve as the water reservoirs for all of the

countries of Central Asia. Drought, heat, and

high soil salinity are major challenges for this

region, which suffered a collapse of the potato

Picking upthe pacefor potatoes inCentral Asia

research and development system following the

disintegration of the Soviet Union in the 1990s.

CIP has been working with the national

programs and local and international NGOs to

rebuild the sector and introduce varieties thatare not only adapted to the local conditions, but

also offer disease resistance and, in some cases,

high iron and zinc content to increase their

nutritional value, too.

This really has been an example of addressing

needs in a new region, explains Carlo Carli, CIPs

Regional Seed Specialist, based in Uzbekistan.

Central Asia presents a challenging environment,

with high temperatures during its long summer

days.

CIPs historic focus in potato breeding has beenin tropical highland environments, where the

summer days are shorter and cooler, says Carli.

CIP has adjusted to this changing need using

breeding locations and partners in the arid south

of Peru and in other regions of the world, where

longer days, high heat, and drought conditions

exist, he adds.

For Central Asia, CIP is using a multi-pronged

approach that offers a combination of short-,

mid-, and long-term strategies for developing

and disseminating promising varieties. It

includes using advanced breeding clones fromCIP populations that have been bred to be

virus resistant in tropical lowland conditions,

with potential or demonstrated adaptation to

long-day conditions. The advanced clones were

used in Uzbekistan, Tajikistan, and Kazakhstan.

CIP also introduced true seed families that are

adapted to long-day conditions and offer virus

resistance in Tajikistan for clonal selection,


31/125



Sweetpotato in Sub-Saharan

Africa enhancing incomegeneration and health

Positioning sweetpotato

Seed systems

Virus management

Soil fertility management

Effective delivery systems

and build capacity

Orange-fleshed

sweetpotato,virus-and weevil-

resistant varieties

ENHANCING

INCOME GENERATION

AND HEALTH



Sweetpotato is the third most important food crop in seven Eastern and

Central African countries, and fourth in importance in six Southern

countries. CIP is working with national partners across Sub-Saharan Africa

to exploit the untapped potential of sweetpotato for improving health and

livelihoods, particularly among poor women and children. Key

objectives include combating Vitamin A deficiency, improving

lives for women as producers and consumers of sweetpotato,

developing sustainable seed systems, breeding weevil-resistant varieties, and

improving the quality and range of available varieties to meet local demands.

There is a major focus on providing the organizational and

management structure to support breeding in Africa for Africa, as

well as proof-of-concept projects to explore market expansion, and

scalable approaches for improving nutrition.


34/125International Potato Center Annual Report 2010Internationa Potato Center Annua Report 2010

Vision and mission 2Statement by the Board Chair 4Foreword from the Director General 6Introduction 9

A strategy for enhancing impacts 10Priority areas 13Potato in tropical and subtropical highlands increasing profits, improving nutrition 14

Pumping up potatoes for highland communities iron biofortification 16The Andean potato sector repositioning for todays opportunities 18Potatoes a priority for top leaders in Mozambique 20Potato in sub-tropical lowlands promoting early maturing varieties to diversify 22cereal-based systems80-day potatoes open window for diversifying cereal-based systems in India 24Cooperation 88 synonymous with potato and success 26Potato in temperate Asia conserving water, enhancing incomes 28Picking up the pace for potatoes in Central Asia 30Sweetpotato in Sub-Saharan Africa enhancing income generation and health 32Agricultural + health services = win-win in Kenya 34Another foot soldier in the battle against malnutrition CIPs OFSP for Africa catalogue 36Sweetpotato in Asia adding value to a multipurpose crop 38

Impacts of sweetpotato for pig feed in Papua-Indonesia, not just financial 40

Nurseries and taste tests a recipe for better health and livelihoods in Orissa, India 42Global program: Sustaining genetic resources 44Unique partnership continues between CIP and the Pisaq Potato Park 46Wild potatoes genes enlisted in the late blight arms race 48Global program: Accelerating genetic enhancement 50Improved variety Amarilis packs significant impacts 52Color chart sheds (deep orange-yellow) light on sweetpotato biofortification 54Virtual catalogue presents best potato varieties in English, Spanish, and Chinese 55Global program: Understanding complex systems 56Predicting global warmings effects on insect pests 58New tool offers a gendered lens for boosting womens participation in innovative processes 60Strategic corporate processes 62Gold standard upheld in CIP genebank management 64Data Gurus 66

Outputs 2010 69CIP staff publications 2010 70Output reporting 2010 90CIP in 2010 105Financial report 106Donor contributions 108Global contact points 109Senior management team 112CIPs internal structure 113CIP staff list 114CGIAR centers 122

Contents


35/12534 International Potato Center Annual Report 2010 Sweetpotato in Sub-Saharan Africa enhancing income generation and health

Agricultural + health services =

win-win in Kenya

A novel approachis linking OFSPplanting materialdistribution withprenatal careservices.

A novel approachis linking OFSPplanting materialdistribution withprenatal careservices.

CIPARCHIVES


36/125International Potato Center Annual Report 2010Sweetpotato in Sub-Saharan Africa enhancing income generation and health

time visits by pregnant women in their first

and second trimesters. Asked if the voucher

program had increased her work load, one

nurse at Tamlega Dispensary said:

This program is helping me to reach our

monthly targets. Another added, Yes, there

is an increase in my workload. But if more

pregnant women come in today, it will reduce

our health center s workload tomorrow,

since women will learn how to take care of

themselves and their children, and they will

have better information on healthy practices

and nutrition.

A study conducted in November 2010 indicated

increases in womens awareness and value

of the nutritional benefits of OFSP. Another

important finding was the importance of

involving the womens partners. Initially, men

were reluctant to devote land to their wives

sweetpotato production, but became more

supportive and engaged as nutrition messages

became more firmly

engrained in the

community.

The Sweetpotato Actionfor Security and

Health in Africa (SASHA) project is testing a novel

proof-of-concept project that links distribution

of orange-fleshed sweetpotato (OFSP) planting

material with prenatal care services. The goal

is to reduce malnutrition and improve lives of

mothers and babies in Kenya. The results may be

even more beneficial than expected. Not only

is the program encouraging women to plant

and use OFSP, it is also increasing their use of

prenatal health services.

Pregnant women, women who are

breastfeeding, and preschool-aged childrenare particularly at risk of vitamin A deficiency,

which is widespread in SSA. OFSP is rich in beta-

carotene, which is converted into vitamin A in

the body. Increased consumption has shown to

be a highly effective food-based approach for

reducing vitamin A deficiency.

Known as MamaSasha, the project provides

vouchers that can be exchanged for OFSP

planting material to women who make pre-

and postnatal visits to target health facilities of

Western Province, Kenya. In addition, community

health workers establish and run communitylevel pregnant womens clubs, with monthly

dialogue sessions on health and nutrition. The

women receive two vouchers per visit each

worth 150 cuttings of two different varieties of

OFSP. They exchange the vouchers for planting

material from secondary vine multipliers, who

are specifically trained in OFSP multiplication

and production. They also receive advice on

planting and managing their sweetpotatoes.

In the first 8 months of the pilot (May-December

2010), 823 women received 4,906 vouchers in

five clinics far exceeding the overall target

of reaching 900 pregnant women in 5 years.

Fully 75% of the vouchers were redeemed at 8

established vine multiplication sites.

The impact on numbers of women seeking

prenatal care was equally impressive. One of the

first facilities to distribute vouchers, Tamlega

Dispensary, reported a 30% increase in first-

Exchangingvouchers forvines to improvehealth outcomesfor mothers andbabies.

H.

OUEDRAOGO


37/12536 International Potato Center Annual Report 2010 Sweetpotato in Sub-Saharan Africa enhancing income generation and health

CIP broughttogetherresearchers from across

six Sub-Saharan African (SSA) countries to put

together a new catalogue, which provides

detailed information on the 29 varieties of

orange-fleshed sweetpotato (OFSP) currently

proving to be the most popular in the region.

There was a need for documented information

about the successful or promising varieties, says

CIP breeder and researcher in Uganda, Robert

Mwanga. This provides valuable information for

donors, policy and decision makers, nutritionists,

NGOs, training institutes, and breeders in areas

where varieties are needed but not yet tested.

And because of its simple format, its also a

helpful advocacy tool to help demystify the

notion that OFSP are not acceptable in Africa.

An estimated 32% of the SSA population suffers

from vitamin A deficiency; a condition that can

lead to blindness, disease, and premature death.

The orange-fleshed varieties of sweetpotato

contain high levels of -carotene (a precursor

to vitamin A), but local dietary preferences have

previously tended towards the more common

paler-fleshed sweetpotato. The -carotene-rich

varieties form the focal point of CIPs regional

sweetpotato breeding program, which promotes

and improves varieties that are resistant

to disease and environmental stresses,

while increasing dry matter to make them

more palatable.

Production and consumption of OFSP has

steadily expanded over the past decade, says

Mwanga. It is a key strategy for alleviating

vitamin A deficiency through a food-based

approach, and the catalogue provides a

reference for promoting the continuedexpansion of OFSP and mobilizing resources.

Most of the varieties have already been

successfully released in at least one country

and are being grown and eaten by farmers.

Three were used by the Harvest Plus Reaching

End Users project in Uganda to test models

for successfully reaching communities with

biofortified crops. In Uganda and Tanzania vines

from some selected varieties also are being

sold for incomes. Other varieties are important

parents in local African breeding and testing

programs. Information on the current status of

each variety is presented in a table at the end of

the catalogue.

Produced in collaboration with sweetpotato

scientists from the Mikocheni Agricultural

Research Institute (MARI) in Tanzania, National

Crops Resources Research Institute (NaCRRI)

in Uganda, Crops Research Institute in Ghana,

and the Agricultural Research Council

Another foot soldier in the battle

against malnutrition CIPs OFSP

for Africa catalogue

The catalogueoffers detailed

informationon promising

and successfulvarieties to meet

local needs.

FOR AFRICA

2010


38/125International Potato Center Annual Report 2010Sweetpotato in Sub-Saharan Africa enhancing income generation and health

(ARC-VOPI) in South Africa, the catalogue lays

out comprehensive information for each variety

including photographs, detailed descriptions

(morphological characteristics), and agronomic

attributes such as yield, adaptability, and

resistance to pests and disease. Since taste

and preferences are important when trying

to change dietary patterns, users can see how

each variety performs in terms of its relative

attractions for consumers, nutritional content,

and processing qualities.

We were keen to produce information that

was educative, could reach a wide audience,

and be easily used without scientific jargon,

says Mwanga.

With many African countries needing financial

support to promote and disseminate OFSP to

their vulnerable communities, the catalogue

is expected to be useful in efforts to lobby

donors and African country governments

for funding.

Copies of the catalogue and information on how to obtain varieties are available from CIPs regional offi ce

for Sub-Saharan Africa in Nairobi, Kenya ([email protected]) or CIPs liaison offi ce in Uganda ([email protected]; s.tumwegamire@cgiar).

ORANGE-FLESHED SWEETPOTATO FOR AFRICA CATALOGUE

K566632Country of origin: Kenya

Pedigree: Unknown but SSR analysis

suggests closely related to Resisto

5

GROWTH CHARACTERISTICS

Canopy or Semi-erect

plant type

Leaf Green when mature, purple when

young, 5-6 moderately deep lobes

Vine Green, short (< 3 cm) internodes,

very thin (< 4 mm) diameter

Flowering Late and profuse

ability and

habits

MAJOR AGRONOMIC ATTRIBUTESMaturity period 4 months

Root yields 15.0-20.0 t/ha

Adaptability Widely adapted except in water

stressed areas

Resistance Low to sweetpotato weevils

to pests

Resistance Moderate to Alternaria blight and

to diseases low to sweetpotato virus disease

ROOT CHARACTERISTICS

Shape Round elliptic

Skin colour Intermediate pink

Dry matter 25.0-26.0%

Flesh colour Deep orange, (29A: 28D)

(CIP colour chart)

-carotene 700.0-800.0 g/100g fwb

content

SENSORY CHARACTERISTICS

Colour of Deep orange, appealing to

boiled roots adults and children

Texture of Moderately dry mouth feel

boiled roots

Taste Very sweet

h feel



Sweetpotato in Asia

adding value to amultipurpose crop

Seed systems

Soil fertility/Integrated

Weevil management

Model on intensive

nutrient management

crop-livestock systems

using sweetpotato feed

Dual purpose,

drought,

salinity, and

weevil resis-

tant varieties

ADDING

VALUE TO A

MULTIPURPOSE

CROP

Phenology

models and

mapping weevil

risks

Feed,

storage,

processing

technologies

Value chain

development



Asia accounts for 86 percent of world sweetpotato production,

where it is used for both food and animal feed. China is the biggest

producer of sweetpotato, but it is also a major crop in India, Bangladesh,

Vietnam, Indonesia, the Philippines, and other Pacific Islands. In South Asia,

sweetpotato is an important staple for food security. Building on

research conducted in Sub-Saharan Africa, a parallel effort is

underway to introduce and support acceptance of orange-fleshed

sweetpotato varieties that can help combat vitamin A deficiency and

carry traits for tolerance to drought, salinity, and pests. CIP

is also continuing research efforts to enhance small-scale farmers

incomes and livelihoods through the expanded use of sweetpotato

for processed foods and as an alternative source of animal feed.


41/12540 International Potato Center Annual Report 2010 Sweetpotato in Asia adding value to a multipurpose crop

Impactsof sweetpotato for pig feedin Papua-Indonesia, not just financial

Better pig productionusing sweetpotato

feed improved farmerslives in multiple ways.

Positive projectimpactsreach beyond

economic gains, especially for poor smallholderproducers. As shown by an evaluation of a CIP

program using sweetpotato to improve pig

production in Papua-Indonesia, they also can

be measured in terms of numerous livelihood

assets. CIP research scientist, Sukendra Mahalaya,

used a Sustainable Livelihood framework to

measure project impacts on human, social,

physical, natural, and economic livelihood assets.

The results showed improvements in social

cohesion, animal husbandry skills, technology,

and planting material quality, in addition to

increases in income and yields.

Papua is Indonesias most remote and least

developed province. Fully 41% of the population

lives below the poverty line. Sweetpotato is the

main staple for people, accounting for 90% of

the daily diet in many areas, and it makes up as

much as 100% of the pig feed.

Pigs and sweetpotato are an integral part of

Papuan traditional farming systems, explains

Mahalaya. The pig also plays an increasing

role in income generation as it demands high

prices; a 50-60kg pig can sell for 6-7 million

Rupiah (US$ 600 -700). Sweetpotato and pig areconnected to all the Papuan traditional events,

such as marriages, funerals, and the resolution

of conflicts.

The project, led by CIP and the South Australian

Research and Development Institute (SARDI),

used a participatory approach focused on

animal health to improve livelihoods for the Dani

people in the Baliem valley. It introduced new

drought resistant sweetpotato varieties, new

sweetpotato-based formulas for pig feed, and

improved buildings for raising the animals.

The project was aimed at helping local peopleout of poverty. The Sustainable Livelihood

framework, which helps understand the way

in which livelihoods are constructed and how

and why they change over time, was therefore

a good tool to identify the best way to support

these communities, says Mahalaya. Results from

quantitative and qualitative data collected from

local households demonstrated impact across all

categories in the framework.

For project participants, Mr. and Mrs. Elopere, the

human impact is clear:

This project has helped us improve our family

livelihoods, they note. Now we always have

enough food to eat, and more importantly, we

can send our children to study in universities. We

never dreamed that we would have two Bachelor

degree holders in our house!

S.

MAHALAYA



Natural: improved sweetpotato genetic diversity, higher yields, more crop

production effi ciency, improved resistance to environmental stress,

reduced dependence on natural resource products for income

Physical: improved pigsty technology

Human: improvements in education and sweetpotato-pig husbandry skills

Social: improved social cohesion through the formation of communityorganizations

Financial: enhanced sweetpotato and pig production capacity and

cash income

Sweetpotato is a main staple for people and their pigs in Papua - Indonesia.

Livelihood assets improvements

in Papua Indonesia

C.

LEON-VELARDE



CIP is workingwith public partners, farmers,

and women in Orissa, India to meet the need

for quality sweetpotato planting material

and sustainable ways to increase production,consumption, and benefits from orange-fleshed

sweetpotato (OFSP). They are undertaking a

two-pronged strategy using community-based

nurseries to develop healthy planting material

along with a participatory assessment of various

recipes for integrating OFSP into traditional tribal

dishes to promote wider consumption. Early

results are reaching tribal farming communities

in five rural districts of the state.

The expanded use and productivity of OFSP

holds great promise in Orissa, which produces

more sweetpotato than any other state in India.Orissa is one of the poorer states of India, with

high levels of malnutrition. More than half the

population (57%) consumes less than half of

the recommended daily allowance for vitamin

A. OFSP can provide an effective food-based

method for meeting those daily vitamin A needs.

Since 2003, we have been working with our

government partners and farmers in poor, tribal

communities to identify varieties that adapt well

to local conditions and meet preferences for

taste, texture, bulking, vine characteristics, and

other qualities, explains Sreekanth Attaluri, a CIP

agronomist and research coordinator based in

Orissa. The challenge now is to meet production

demand and to increase consumption levels

using these improved OFSP varieties.

In 2010, CIP provided three improved and

adapted varieties of OFSP to nurseries in 10 tribal

villages for development of planting material.

Sweetpotato in Asia adding value to a multipurpose crop

Nurseriesand taste tests a recipefor better health and livelihoodsin Orissa, India

Training also was provided to 55 farmers in

improved nursery management techniques.

The result was the production of higher quality

material in a shorter period of time, which wasdistributed to 240 beneficiaries.

Of the three sweetpotato varieties provided, one

was particularly successful at meeting farmer

preferences. It produced longer vines than

the others after 2 months (40-55 cm vs. 25-30

cm), so there was more to be used as planting

material. It produced much higher average

yields than the local white-fleshed variety (17t/

ha vs. 7t/ha). It also surpassed the other varieties

in terms of farmer preferences for taste, texture,

uniform shape, red skin, and high dry matter,

while providing a higher carotene content thanthe white-fleshed varieties used traditionally.

To encourage greater consumption and

promote a shift in consumption from the white-

fleshed to more orange-fleshed varieties, CIP

and its government partners also conducted

participatory taste tests integrating the

preferred, improved sweetpotato into traditional

indigenous recipes. As Attaluri describes,

We recognize that to improve consumption,

sweetpotatoes need to be usable in different

forms that appeal to adults and children, and

they must be easy to prepare at home.

Twenty-nine women from 20 villages

participated in the taste tests. They evaluated

six different products for appearance,

color, smell, flavor, sweetness, texture, and

overall acceptability. The recipes included

products appealing to adults, children, or

both, and the product ratings also took into


44/125International Potato Center Annual Report 2010Sweetpotato in Asia adding value to a multipurpose crop

A two-pronged

approach seeks to meetdemand for planting

material and increaseconsumption of OFSPthrough participatory

processes

A two-pronged

approach seeks to meetdemand for plantingmaterial and increaseconsumption of OFSPthrough participatory

processes

consideration factors such as product cost,

preparation time, availability, and whether or

not it was considered traditionally or culturally

appropriate.

The hope is that the participatory nature

of the process and use of traditional foods

will encourage change and an increased

consumption of the more nutritious

sweetpotato varieties. Informal follow-up by

NGOS working closely with the communities

suggests that the two recipes which received

the highest ratings from participants, a chutney

and a spicy pickle, are being used and even

offered for sale at local markets.

S.A

TTALURI



Global Program:

Sustaining geneticresources

Quality of germplasm

collections

Dynamic in-situ

conservation

ISO accreditation

Comprehensive

characterization and

evaluation

SUSTAINING

GENETIC RESOURCES



CIPs genebank is its single greatest physical asset. It is the

first genebank in the world to have ISO 15025 accreditation

on safe and secure germplasm movement and disease detection.

As climate change and urbanization place additional pressure on the land,

CIP researchers are redoubling their commitment to the safety and utilization of

the crop collections in their care. Priorities include support for in-situcommunity

conservation programs and initiatives that encourage the re-introduction

of traditional varieties in areas now dominated by commercial cultivars, along

with the ex-situcollection and preservation in the genebank. Steps are being

taken to fully characterize and evaluate all Center genebank

holdings thereby expanding the utility of CIP-held collections

and promoting greater diversity in farmers fields.


47/12546 International Potato Center Annual Report 2010 Global Program: Sustaining genetic resources

Uniquepartnershipcontinues

between CIP and the Pisaq Potato Park

Members of the

Association of theCommunities of thePotato Park presentnative potatoes toDr. Anderson forsafekeeping inthe CIP genebank.

Members of the

Association of theCommunities of thePotato Park presentnative potatoes toDr. Anderson forsafekeeping inthe CIP genebank.

CIPARCHIVES


48/125International Potato Center Annual Report 2010Global Program: Sustaining genetic resources

On 6 December2010, CIP signed a new

agreement with the Association of

Communities of the Potato Park (Pisaq, Peru),

which represents six Quechua-speaking farmer

communities in the high-Andean Cusco region.

The agreement is the second Convention for

the Repatriation, Restoration, and Identification

of Scientific and Traditional Practices for Food

Security and Sustainable Development between

the two organizations. The first convention,

signed in 2004, led to the repatriation of more

than 400 native varieties to the Potato Park,

restoring the biodiversity and productivity of

potato in the area, which had been devastatedduring years of terrorism and violence.

Other achievements of the agreement have

included scientific validation of much of the

ancestral wisdom around potato cultivation,

the exchange of scientific and local knowledge,

and the acknowledgement and strengthening

of the traditional potato arariwa, or guardians,

who guarantee the preservation of the crops

biodiversity for the benefit of both present and

future generations. In addition, 758 samples

from local native potato varieties have been

analyzed at CIP for genetic characterization,revealing the high genetic diversity that exists

among the varieties. Also, clean seed from the

native varieties, free from pests or disease, now

is being successfully managed by the

communities farmers.

One of the highlights of the signing ceremony

occurred when two members of the Potato Park

association presented CIPs Director General,

Pamela K. Anderson, with a selection of native

potatoes from their communities for safekeeping

in the CIP genebank.

We bring our native potatoes, which are

threatened by climate change, so that CIP can

store them, study them, and return them to us

healthier, and so they do not disappear from

our fields, said one of the two women who

presented the material to Dr. Anderson.

The agreement represents a dynamic strategy

that combines in situconservation in the

communities of origin of the native varieties

with ex situpreservation in the CIP genebank to

respond to the challenges of climate change,

social upheavals, or economic pressures.

The ceremony was a powerful demonstration

of the significance of this convention, and of

the desire of our Andean community partners

to continue preserving and sharing this

important natural resource, says Dr. Anderson.

As we round out the UN International Year of

Biodiversity in 2010, it is a fitting tribute to the

rich treasure of biodiversity.

The President of the Potato Park association,

Dr. Alejandro Pacco Sutta, focused on the

importance of the agreement, explaining that

it was part of a deep-rooted Andean tradition

of ayni(collaboration) and constituted a sacred

commitment between the parties.

Lino Mamani Huaracca, from the Potato Park

explained the agreements importance to the

communities located in the Sacred Valley of the

Incas. By maintaining potatos biodiversity we

are safeguarding our food source. We can replace

sick potatoes with new, clean material and everyfamily is benefiting from this. At the same time

we are reclaiming and reinforcing our culture,

our customs, and our dances.

Alejandro Argumedo,Director AndesAssociation; Pamela K.Anderson, CIP DirectorGeneral; and AlejandroPacco Sutta, President

of the Association ofthe Communities of thePotato Park celebratethe signature of the anew agreement.


49/12548 International Potato Center Annual Report 2010 Global Program: Sustaining genetic resources

Wildpotatoesgenes enlisted in the

late blight arms race

Wild potatoesare the ancestral relatives of

todays cultivated crop. Though not edible,

these pea-sized tubers hold an unseen wealth of

genetic traits, some of which may help improve

resistance to the crops most devastating

disease late blight. Results of a recent CIPstudy have identified a large number of genes

in the wild species Solanum cajamarquensethat may be useful for breeding for late blight

resistance.

Wild potatoes are important because their

full genetic potential is as yet untapped for

agriculture, says Meredith Bonierbale, Head

of CIPs Germplasm Enhancement and Crop

Improvement Division. Many genes conferring

resistance to todays major pests were left

behind in the processes of domestication and

crop improvement.

When CIP scientists inoculated S. cajamarquense

plants with an extremely virulent strain of late

blight, they showed high resistance to the

disease, with only small lesions in few plants.

Based on their study, the scientists were able to

identify a long list of genes that could be useful

for breeding.

But the challenge is that the fungus-like pathogen

Phytopthora infestansthat causes late blight

mutates continuously. As CIP plant pathologist

Willmer Perez explains, breeding for resistance is

an ongoing venture: Many cultivated varieties

that previously showed resistance lose it overtime, as the pathogen fights to adopt and survive.

Perez is one of a team of specialists who

systematically look for new and different sources

of resistance to late blight among the collections

of wild germplasm in CIPs genebank, which holds

samples from 143 of the 187 documented wild

potato species. Since 2008, they have worked on

56 species that had not previously been studied.

Right now we have several wild species under

investigation, explains Perez. To date weve only

tested about 40% of all the germplasm that we

have in the genebank collection. That leaves 60%still untapped. They are in effect a kind of secret

weapon, harboring new resistance to which the

disease has not yet been exposed.

Wild potatoes also offer a rich source of resistance

to other diseases and abiotic stresses, such as

drought and soil salinity. CIP breeders are

working to adapt and routinely apply in vitrotechnologies such as embryo rescue to facilitate

the process of crossing wild potatoes with

cultivated varieties.

The potential is vast. But time is of the essence.The FAO forecasts that with climate change,

the area where wild potatoes grow may be

reduced by as much as 70%. Thus it is imperative

that these genetic gems are preserved and

investigated now. We never know what the next

problem threatening our food supply and security

is going to be. What we do know is that part of the

answer may come in something the size of a pea.

Small as a pea, wildpotatoes hold a

promising treasure ofgenetic traits.

Global Program: Sustaining genetic resources

A.S

ALAS


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Flowers of Solanumcajamarquense, a wild

potato that may beuseful for breeding for

late blight resistance.

Flowers of Solanumcajamarquense, a wild

potato that may beuseful for breeding for

late blight resistance.



Global Program:

Accelerating geneticenhancement

Ahipa for new uses

ACCELERATING

GENETIC

ENHANCEMENT

Populations and tools

for breeding potato

and sweetpotato

Novel methods and

schemes for breeding

for vegetatively

propagated crops



CIPs genetic enhancement program focuses on developing,

sharing, and applying genetic science and interdisciplinary

experience to ensure the presence of varieties that meet the changing

needs of small-scale farmers and are adaptable to diverse farming systems. In

addition, it includes a greater focus on meeting the growing consumer demands

for healthier foods, richer in micronutrients, and diversified diets. The Genetic

Enhancement Program provides the global research outputs to help sustain and

build breeding capacity and products in specific agroecologies,

while also providing materials and knowledge of high relevance

to the broader scientific community.



ImprovedvarietyAmarilis packssignificant impacts

Global Program: Accelerating genetic enhancement

CIPARCHIVES



Disease-resistantpotato cultivars have made

significant impacts in the Peruvian Andes, with

an estimated net benefit accruing to farmers

through the adoption of one CIP-bred variety,

Amarilis, amounting to almost US$9 million.

Late blight is one of the most devastating diseases

of food crops and is a major concern for potato

growers around the world. The disease can deliver

a double economic blow to farmers, reducing

incomes due to lower yields and increasing costs

for expensive chemical fungicides. When weather

conditions are favorable to the pathogen, the

disease can wipe out a whole potato crop in amatter of weeks. In Peru alone, annual losses

due to late blight are estimated to equal US$7-

25 million per year, and worldwide, they are

estimated to reach US$10 billion.

The most sustainable means of controlling late

blight is by breeding disease resistant potatoes.

CIP and its partners have been developing and

promoting late blight resistant cultivars for over

two decades. Recent advances, such as DNA

fingerprinting of the pathogen and the genetic

sequencing of the potato, have provided vital

information for breeders, who use a complexprocess of recurrent selection to breed varieties

with durable late blight resistance. Amarilis, a

variety with high-level resistance, was bred by

the Center and first released by Perus National

Institute of Agricultural Research (INIA) in 1993.

Past studies of Amarilis showed that its resistance

to late blight, excellent culinary attributes, high

yield, and short growing period made it an

excellent option for farmers. However, previous

impact studies of disease-resistant cultivars have

confronted several challenges in estimating

economic benefits to smallholder farmers.

There are diffi culties associated with variations

in late blight risk and resistance depending on

weather or locations. Calculating costs is complex

because it includes not only yield losses but

also opportunity costs, those associated with

purchasing fungicides, and human health costs

connected with fungicide use. Measuring actual

adoption rates by farmers of resistant cultivars

presents diffi culties, too.

To address these challenges, CIP used plot-level

data and econometric analysis gathered from

surveys of 291 farmers with 588 plots located

in the three main potato-producing areas of

the Peruvian Andes: Huanuco, La Libertad, and

Cajamarca. The surveys also gathered data

regarding household characteristics such as

education levels, assets, access to credit, andincome from non-agricultural activities to more

fully understand livelihood and income aspects.

Results provide empirically-based estimates

suggesting that the adoption of the Amarilis

potato led to a 24% reduction in the amount of

fungicide use per hectare in some regions, and

an average increase on yields of about 9%

per hectare.

Late blight is apparently becoming ever more

damaging, as warming trends associated with

climate change provide optimal conditions forthe disease. In this context, estimates for longer-

term benefits to farmers from Amarilis range

from US$ 3.7-20 million.

Reference publication: Salazar, Lina; Winters, P.; Maldonado, Luis. (CIP); Hareau, Guy (CIP); Thiele, G.

(2009) Assessing the impact of late blight resistant varieties on smallholders potato production in the

Peruvian Andes. CIP Working Paper 0256-8748. Available at: http://www.cipotato.org/publications/

pdf/005381.pdf

Global Program: Accelerating genetic enhancement

The mostsustainable meansof controlling lateblight is by breedingresistant varieties,like the CIP-bredAmarilis

CIPARCHIVES


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56/125International Potato Center Annual Report 2010Global Program: Accelerating genetic enhancement

CIP has publisheda Catalogue of Advanced

Clones, available online and on DVD, which

provides up-to-the-minute information on the

potato advanced clones and varieties available

for worldwide distribution. The catalogue

contains detailed information on 220 advancedclones and 55 improved varieties of potato.

Directed at national research programs,

universities, producers associations, and private

companies, the catalogue is an important

resource for any researcher or institution

interested in obtaining candidate varieties

of potato with biotic resistance (to pest and

disease), high yield, and potential for both fresh

consumption or processing.

The catalogues design resembles that of an

online shopping site. Users can search in two

ways: 1) by variety name or clone number or2) by selection criteria (morphology, pest and

disease resistance, agronomic characteristics,

etc.). Both options will give the user information

on technical characteristics, worldwide

distribution area, and postharvest performance

features, as well as illustrations of the plant,

tuber, and flowers.

Clicking on the shopping cart icon assigned

to each entry generates an order request for

that clone or variety, which is transferred to

a specialist from the CIPs Acquisition and

Distribution Unit.

The clones in the catalogue contain sources

of resistance to late blight and potato virus

diseases. They are the result of years of research

and selection aimed at creating new varieties in

different agro-ecological environments. Some

have already been tested in specific regions andconditions, says Stef De Haan, CIP breeder and

coordinator for Red Latin Papa (Ibero-American

Network for Innovation in Potato Breeding and

Dissemination), a key partner in the project.

The catalogue takes full advantage of the latest

technological advances. For the first time, it

is available in Chinese, as well as the more

traditional English and Spanish versions.

The decision to translate into Chinese reflects

the fact that China is the worlds largest producer

of potatoes and that CIP is establishing theCIP-China Center for Asia and Pacific (CCCAP)

in Beijing. The translation was made possible

thanks to the collaboration of Chinese student

Li Qingquan, from the Heilongjiang Academy of

Agricultural Science, who trained in breeding for

more than a year at CIP.

Virtualcatalogue presents best potatovarieties in English, Spanish, and Chinese

Users can search byvariety name, clonenumber, or selectioncriteria to find thebest matches fortheir needs.

The online catalogue is available at: https://research.cip.cgiar.org/redlatinpapa/pages/home.

php?lg=en A DVD version can be obtained by contacting: ([email protected]).



Global program:

Understandingcomplex systems

Food-based

approaches to

human nutrition and

health agriculture

Partnerships,

markets and

policies

Synthesis of

lessons for seed

and Integrated

crop management

UNDERSTANDING

COMPLEX SYSTEMS

Adaptative capacity

and resilience of

production systems

Risk assassment for

potato insects and

diseases



CIPs scientists and social scientists are linking insights and

advances from multiple disciplines to address the complex challenges

associated with ensuring food security and improving lives. They work at different

levels of scale to integrate the use of improved genetic materials into cropping

and production systems, understand linkages between agriculture and human

health, and engage the socio-economic context to ensure

that CIPs science agenda is driven by and results in pro-poor impacts.



Predicting global warmingseffects on insect pests

Pests cause 30-50%of yield losses in

agricultural crops in developing countries.

With climate change, those rates could

likely increase further, adding to the already

diffi cult challenges facing food security and

economic development. To better estimate,

and ultimately help mitigate, the impacts of

global warming on pest risk to food crops,

CIP has developed a new model to predict

how rising temperatures will affect insect

populations.

The model is focused on the potato tuber

moth, Phthorimaea operculela, but can be

applied to other insect species as well. Used

with GIS mapping, it can simulate pest risk

scenarios at global or regional levels under

varying temperature scenarios.

The software brings together advancesfrom multiple modeling approaches and

from Geographic Information Systems

(GIS) mapping technology, highlights CIP

modeling expert Marc Sporleder.

Considerable attention has been given to

the impacts of climate change on insect

abundance and severity in temperate regions,

but little is known about potential impacts

in tropical regions. Moreover, recent studies

suggest that climate change may favor pests

over their natural predators, disrupting

classical biocontrol of insect pests.

The 1997 El Nio effect in Peru provided

a potential preview of risks to come.

Temperatures on the Peruvian coast were

about 5C higher than average, and insect

pest populations flourished. Farmers

responded by applying high doses of

Documents

CIP Annual Report 2010