IYP around the globeIYP around the globe People observed the International Year with scientific conferences, potato growers' congresses, festivals of biodiversity, cooking contests,

IYP aroundthe globe

People observed the International Yearwith scientific conferences, potato growers' congresses,

festivals of biodiversity, cooking contests,art exhibitions, block parties and school events.

Highlights of a global celebration...

Flowering potatoplants are showered withribbons at a festivalin the Andes, Peru

JANUARY

IndiaI

International expoin KolkataThe world’s No. 3 potato producer,India, helped launch the Year of thePotato with an International PotatoExpo in Kolkata. Organized by theIndian Chamber of Commerce and theGovernment of West Bengal State, theexpo showcased the potential of Indiaas a hub for potato production andprocessing. Activities included a two-day conference, field visits, and threedays of exhibitions and cultural events.The host state, West Bengal, is India’ssecond largest potato producer, withannual output of more than 7 milliontonnes.

Ecuadori

A seminar, then a carnivalEcuador was one of the first countriesto form a national committee for IYPcelebrations. Events got under waywith a workshop organized by FAO andCIP on strategies for small farmerparticipation in the potato economy.The seminar, attended by delegatesfrom producer organizations, NGOsand local governments, was followedby a potato carnival in the farmingarea of Alto Guanujo, where 200people sampled potato dishes andshared the results of a three-year studyon the uses of native potato varieties.

Canadai

Potato technology on showWarming up for the new potatoplanting season, two of Canada’spremier potato-growing provinceshosted conferences and technologyexhibitions in February. The NewBrunswick Potato Conference andTrade Show featured two days ofdeliberations on topics ranging fromdemand prospects to late blight andclimate change. On neighbouringPrince Edward Island, the biennialTechnology Expo provided a showcasefor 100 leading suppliers.

Syrian Arab RepubliciWorkshop at DamascusUniversityDamascus University hosted a nationalworkshop on the potato whichincluded presentations on the resultsof FAO projects to strengthen theSyrian Arab Republic’s capacity forvirus-free seed potato productionusing tissue culture, monitor aphidpests of potato, and set standards forseed certification.

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FEBRUARY

Switzerlandi

Odyssey of the potatoin EuropeThe International Potato Center inPeru launched a travelling exhibit “TheOdyssey of the Potato”, which visited10 European cities during 2008. Theexhibit, which opened at the FederalInstitute of Technology in Zurich,Switzerland, on 1 February, illustratedthe domestication of the potato inPeru, its introduction to Europe anddissemination worldwide, and itsimportant role today in food securityand economic development.

Irelandi

Challenge for IrishschoolkidsPrimary school children across Irelandreceived potato seed tubers as part ofa “Meet the spuds!” Challenge – apotato-growing competitionsponsored by the country’s AgriAwareTrust, the IYP national committee andthe Irish Department of Agriculture. Asthe plants grew, pupils recordedprogress with drawings, photos andwritten observations. In June, photosof the harvested crop were submittedfor final assessment. The eightwinning schools received a cash grant.

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United Statesof America i

Gnocchi night in Seattleto raise fundsSabrina Tatta, a lecturer in ItalianStudies at the University ofWashington in Seattle, hosted acooking evening where she preparedgnocchi (Italian dumplings made fromboiled and sieved potatoes mixed withflour). “The objective,” she said, “is tocelebrate Italian cooking and raisefunds for undergraduate scholarships.We also hope to raise awareness aboutItalian culture, biodiversity and thepotato as a tool for achievingMillennium Development Goals.”

Egypti

Potato on display in CairoEgypt is the biggest potato producer inAfrica, with an output in 2007 of some2.6 million tonnes. It was, therefore,an appropriate venue for FAO’s NearEast Regional Conference, which wasattended by high-ranking agricultureofficials from 32 countries stretchingfrom Morocco to Afghanistan.Between discussions ontransboundary animal diseases,pesticide management and climatechange, delegates viewed apresentation on IYP and the potato.

86 International Yearof the Potato 2008New light on a hiddentreasure

MARCH

Perui

Papa, madre on displayin CuscoFrench photographer Jean-LouisGonterre held an exhibition entitledPapa, madre at the Inca Museum inCusco for most of the month of March.On display was a collection of 50striking photographs taken in Bolivia,Ecuador and Peru with the potato – orpapa – as the central theme. Indocumenting the age-old cycle ofpotato planting and harvesting,Gonterre paid homage to the Andeanfarmers who have nurtured Solanumtuberosum and moulded it intocountless varieties.

Italyi

IYP celebratedin northern ItalyThe Regional Agency for RuralDevelopment, in northern Italy’s FriuliVenezia Giulia region, organized apotato exhibition during the annualhorticulture show in Pordenone.Visitors were offered potato dishesfrom around the world prepared by awomen’s intercultural association. Theagency also sponsored on 8 March aninternational potato conference, withparticipants from FAO, the EuropeanUnion, the Italian Ministry ofAgriculture and the Alpe-Adria region.

Argentinai

Course in papa productionThe agricultural research station atBalcarce, near Buenos Aires, beganbreeding potatoes in 1940. Today, thestation covers some 2 000 ha of land,with a staff of 250, and specializes inresearch on genetic enhancement,seed analysis, micropropagation andnematology. The station shared itsknowledge with agricultural sciencegraduates from Argentina and otherLatin American countries through asix-day course on potato production,beginning on 10 March.

United Statesof America i

IYP on the webRepresenting 4 000 potato growers,the United States Potato Board saysfurther growth in the industry willcome from innovation. To celebrateIYP 2008, the Board bought primecyberspace – on the Food Networkwebsite – to supply busy mothersbetween the ages of 25 and 50(among the most active users of theinternet) with meal ideas andnutrition information.


Perui

Global potato conferencein CuscoThe historic city of Cusco, Peru, at theheart of the potato’s Andean centre oforigin, hosted in March one of themajor events of the International Year:a landmark global conference on“Potato science for the poor”sponsored by the International PotatoCenter and the Food and AgricultureOrganization.

During the four-day conference, morethan 100 of theworld’s leadingauthorities on thepotato and on research-for-development sharedinsights and recentresearch results todevelop strategies forincreasing theproductivity, profitabilityand sustainability ofpotato-based systems.

They addressed potato developmentchallenges facing three distincteconomic typologies – outlined in theWorld Bank’s World Development Report2008 – in the developing world. Thefirst is agriculture-based countries,mainly in Africa, where the poor areconcentrated in rural areas andproduce potato for home consumption

first and then sale to localmarkets. CIP and FAO saya priority for thesecountries is research andtechnology sharing tosupport a “sustainableproductivityrevolution” and to linkproducers to domesticand regionalcommodity markets.

Differentstrategies areneeded for the“transformingeconomies” ofAfrica, Asia, theMiddle East and

North Africa, wherepotato systems are characterized byvery small, intensively managed farmsand by a widening rural-urbanpoverty gap. The challenge for thosecountries is to sustainably manageintensive systems, increasing

productivity while minimizing healthand environmental risks.

In the urbanized economies typicalof Latin America, Central Asia andEastern Europe, where agricultureplays a reduced role, the challenge isto ensure the social andenvironmental sustainability ofpotato-based systems and link smallpotato producers to new foodmarkets.

Farmer-researchers. Conferenceparticipants visited a 12,000 ha“Potato Park” near Cusco, wherefarmer-researchers have restored toproduction over 600 traditionalAndean potato varieties, providing thegenetic building blocks of futurevarieties.

One of the outputs of the conferencehas been dubbed the “CuscoChallenge”, a year-long dialoguewithin the global potato sciencecommunity that will address issuesand opportunities in the futuredevelopment of this essential crop.

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Potatoes seen

as answer to high

cereal costs

Food scientists are meeting

in Cusco, Peru, to find ways

of boosting world potato

production to ease the strain

of surging cereal prices on

the world's poorest countries.

The conference aims to

expand the role of a crop

that produces more food on

less land than maize, wheat

or rice. Financial Times

27 March 2008

Australiai

Spud Day, and a recipe bookThe Wimmera Home Educators’ Group– parents who educate their childrenat home – has celebratedInternational Years for Mountains(2002) and for Deserts andDesertification (2006). For IYP, thegroup held a potato day in the town ofDimboola on 13 March and produced apotato recipe book. Farmers growcereals on Wimmera’s drylands, but arenow turning to higher value crops sucholives and potatoes.

Canadai

Homage to St. Patrickand “the spud”Each year on St. Patrick’s Day (the feastday of Ireland’s patron saint), a groupof citizens in Vancouver, Canada,organize a “Homage to the Spud”

celebration inrecognition of thepotato’s contribution toIrish life and culture.Participants bring

dishes in which potatoes are themain ingredient, and prizes areawarded for the most creative dish.The event also serves to raise funds forlocal charities that support youthoutreach services.


APRILMARCH

Chinai

Call for action at potatocongressMore than 120 delegates from Chinaand abroad met in Beijing for theninth China Potato Congress, co-organized by the Chinese PotatoAssociation and the Ministry ofAgriculture. Describing the potatoindustry as vital to national foodsecurity and rural development, theVice-Minister of Agriculture, WeiChaoan, said action was needed toimprove seed potato quality, introducenew varieties and improve processingtechnology.

Sri Lankai

Potato symposiumin Sri Lanka To celebrate IYP, Sri Lanka’sDepartment of Agriculture hosted asymposium on “Potato: Opportunitiesand challenges in the newmillennium” at its Sita EliyaAgricultural Research Station.Established in 1960, and proposed as anational potato research centre, thestation currently produces disease-freeplanting material and develops earlymaturing, high yielding varietiesadapted to the country’s croppingsystems.

Netherlandsi

Patents, potatoesand sharing technologyAn international conference was heldat Wageningen University andResearch Centre on 11 April to discuss“possible tensions” between thepractice of public organizations topatent their innovations in the lifesciences, and the need to ensuredeveloping countries’ access to newtechnologies. International expertspresented their views on this complexissue, with particular reference to thecase of potato research atWageningen, and offered potentialsolutions to the dilemmas at hand.


Chinai

Progress reporton late blightLate blight – the mould disease thatcaused Ireland's disastrous “potatofamine” – remains one of the mostdestructive diseases of S. tuberosum.But the last five years have seen majoradvances in many areas of research onlate blight and its causal agent,Phytophthora infestans. Leadingscientists met in Beijing for the ThirdInternational Late Blight Conference,to consolidate new knowledge andfoster greater internationalcollaboration.

Brazili

“Potato’s importanceto humanity”Delegates from 21 countries of LatinAmerica and the Caribbean celebratedIYP at the FAO Regional Conferenceheld in Brasilia. The IndependentChairman of the FAO Council,Mohammed Saeid Noori-Naeini, saidthat through IYP the world hadrecognized “the importance of thepotato to humanity” and thecontribution to agriculture of othercrops domesticated in the region,including maize, cassava, beans andcacao.

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Australiai

Outdoor art “inspiredby spud”Every two years, the city of Sydneyhosts a one-day “Art in the park”exhibition of contemporary art.Inspired by IYP, the subject of theexhibition in 2008 was the “humblespud”. The curator urged local andvisiting artists to contribute “artworksinspired by the potato – potatoes asmetaphor, potatoes as subject,potatoes as medium”. The day’s eventincluded entertainment andworkshops for both adults andchildren.

Perui

First national potatocongressPeru held its first ever National PotatoCongress in the city of Huancayo, inthe country’s central highlands, from20 to 23 May. Organized around thetheme of “Science, art and business”,the congress included presentationson potato production, processing,marketing and utilization, exhibits onbiodiversity and potato gastronomy,and a visit to the national potatoresearch station at Santa Ana.

Francei

Potatoes as haute cuisineThe Cordon Bleu School in Paris held aone-day course on applying Frenchculinary techniques in the preparationof potato dishes. Working under thesupervision and guidance of a chef,students prepared five recipes usingdifferent types of pommes de terre. Thestudents were free to take home andconsume their day’s work. The CordonBleu school, a world leader ingastronomic education, first opened inParis in 1895.

Bangladeshi

Launch of country-widecampaignAs part of IYP, Bangladeshlaunched a nation-widePotato Campaign. Jointlyorganized by theBangladeshi Ministry ofDefence, the Ministry ofAgriculture and FAO, thecampaign aimed atpromoting the potato as partof a diversified diet, andincreasing consumption of thecountry’s 2007 bumper harvestof 4.3 million tonnes. The launchwas followed by initiatives atdistrict and sub-district levelthroughout the month of May.

Chinai

Potato cuisine promotedin BeijingIYP representatives distributedpromotional materials and mounted aphotographic exhibition on the potatoat the annual convention of the ChinaCuisine Association, held in Beijing.The convention was attended by 1 000people from local cuisine associations,catering companies and researchinstitutes. Addressing visitors, thegovernor of Dingbian County, inShaanxi Province – China’s mainpotato growing region – said the foodindustry should increase investmentsin the potato.

Sloveniai

Monument to the krompirIn Slovenia, an association dedicatedto pan-frying potatoes with onionsunveiled a monument to thepotato in the mountain townof Šencur on 25 May. Themonument depicts MariaTheresa, the archduchess ofAustria (who decreed in themid-18th century thatSlovenian farmersshould start growingpotatoes) with a tuberin her hand.


MAYJUNE

Switzerlandi

Europatat:60th general assembly

Europatat, an umbrella organization ofwholesale potato merchants in 16European countries, held its 60thgeneral assembly in Bern, Switzerlandfrom 29-31 May. The meeting, whichfocused on “the potato in the future”,featured presentations on theinfluence of climate change on potatofarming, the potential of geneticmodification, and the viewpoints ofproducers and consumers ongenetically modified potatoes.

Perui

National Potato DayPeru celebrated its National PotatoDay on 30 May with ceremonies andfestivities. In Cusco, local authoritiesheld a native potato gastronomyfestival, while in Lima potato growersfrom 14 regions of Peru gathered for apotato fair in the Park of Legends.

South Africai

Potato exhibitionin PretoriaThe University of Pretoria in SouthAfrica hosted a potato photographicexhibition provided by the Embassy ofPeru for the whole month of June aspart of the country’s IYP celebrations.The potato producers and processors’association, Potatoes South Africa,announced that, in support of theMillennium Development Goal oferadicating poverty, five cents wouldbe donated to charity for every bag ofpotatoes sold up to December 2008.

Netherlandsi

All about seed systemsThe Wageningen University andResearch Centre in the Netherlandsheld a three-week course on seedpotato technology, certification andsupply systems. The course coveredthe use of modern technology in bothformal and informal seed supplysystems in different agro-ecologicalregions of the world. Relevantexamples from the Dutch seed potatoindustry were demonstrated anddiscussed.

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Kenyai

President Kibaki visitsIYP exhibitThe President of Kenya, Mwai Kibaki(left) and FAO’s Director General,Jacques Diouf (right), toured the IYPexhibit at the FAO Regional Conferencefor Africa, held in Nairobi. They werebriefed by Juan Landeo (centre), SeniorPotato Breeder at CIP’s Office for Sub-Saharan Africa.

Republic of Koreai

“Month of the potato”festivalWith an average summer temperatureof around 23°C, the mountainouscounty of Goesan, in the Republic ofKorea, is well suited to potatoproduction. In June, the county’spotato farmers invited city dwellers toparticipate in cooking contests at theannual “Month of the potato” festival.As well as growing excellent potatoes,Goesan is known for its chili peppersand ginseng.

Polandi

Potato processingand storageTop-level experts from the potatoscience and business communitiesmade presentations at theInternational Potato Processing andStorage Convention held in Warsaw inJune. Topics ranged from pest anddisease control strategies to trends infood safety legislation, businessopportunities in emerging markets,and GMO risks in the supply chain.

Austriai

Potato a “collectiveheritage”A report to the FAO Regional

Conference for Europe, held inInnsbruck, Austria, said

Finland’s lapin puikulapotato was one ofmany traditionalagricultural and

food products inEurope that are “a

collective heritage resulting from acomplex, historical interactionbetween humans and theirenvironment”. The Conference wasattended by delegates from 42countries and the European Union.

Perui

Biodiversity awardsfor Peruvian farmersThe future of world potato productiondepends on efforts to conserve and usethe rich potato genepool in the crop’scentre of origin, Peru. To honour thosewho have contributed to conservingAndean native potato varieties, thePeruvian government and the nationalIYP committee awarded prizes to 35farmers, farming families andcommunities in Lima on 25 June,which is also Peru’s NationalFarmers’ Day.

Ecuadori

Potato congress in QuitoWith the support of FAO, the CentralUniversity of Ecuador hosted in Quitothe country’s Third Potato Congress,which focused on environmentalimpacts of potato production, newopportunities for processed potatoproducts and a land suitabilityassessment. The congress wasattended by 380 delegates from 50institutions.

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Romaniai

European Associationfor Potato ResearchPotato experts gathered in Brasov,Romania, in July for the four-daycongress of the European Associationfor Potato Research (EAPR). Lectures,workshops and poster presentationscovered advances in genomics andbreeding, micropropagationinnovations, new insights into cropmanagement, potato productdevelopment, climate change, and thechanging role of the potato in CentralEurope.

United Statesiof America

Maine Potato BlossomFestivalEvery year in July, for the past 60 years,the citizens of Maine – where potato is

the No. 1 crop – havecelebrated theblossoming of the state’spotato plants. The year2008 was no exception:hosted in the town ofFort Fairfield, the festivalfeatured nine days ofsports tournaments,music concerts, mashedpotato wrestling, an

antique tractor show, and a pageant toselect the Potato Blossom Queen.


AUGUSTJULY

Italyi

Italy’s national potatomeetingOne of the key events of theInternational Year of the Potato inItaly was the biennial national potatomeeting held in Budrio, near Bologna.The event included a conference onindustrial use of potatoes, atechnology expo, an exhibition ofvintage potato farming equipment, atractor race and harvesting contest,and a meeting of officials from thecountry’s patata-producing areas.

Canada,iUnited Statesof America

Potato harvest festivalsAugust is potato harvest time in muchof southern Canada and northernUnited States. To celebrate the end ofthe season, many towns threw a partyin honour of Solanum tuberosum.Among them: the 36th annual potatofestival in Alliston (Ontario), PotatoDays in Clark (South Dakota) andBarnesville (Minnesota), and thetraditional potato celebration inManhattan (Montana).

United Kingdomi

IYP conference in ScotlandScotland’s contribution to the Year ofthe Potato was a major conference onimproving potato production, held inDundee on 8 August. Organized by theScottish Crop Research Institute, theconference was attended by a highlevel delegation from China. Theconference followed the UnitedKingdom‘s largest annual potato fieldevent, “Potatoes in practice”, held inDundee on 7 August.

Indonesiai

National potato weekin LembangIndonesia is one of Asia’s middle-ranking potato producers, with a 2007harvest of just over 1 million tonnes. Tocelebrate IYP, the IndonesianVegetable Research Institute organizeda National Potato Week held inLembang, western Java, an areafamous for its fruits and vegetables.IVEGRI is a partner of the InternationalPotato Center in programmes for theimprovement of potato and sweetpotato varieties.

Hondurasi

Potato brunchin TegucigalpaFAO, the Peruvian embassy and adepartment store chain inauguratedIYP in Honduras with two days offestivities, including a potato brunch,in Tegucigalpa. For the occasion, FAOpublished a book of 100 potatorecipes. The inauguration wasfollowed by a seminar on potatoproduction and marketing in the cityof Esperanza, one of the country’smain potato growing areas.

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SEPTEMBER

Mauritiusi

IYP event promotes potatoproductionOn the Indian Ocean island ofMauritius, the Ministry of Agro-Industry and Fisheries and thecountry’s Sugar Industry ResearchInstitute hosted a potato conferenceand exhibition on 21-22 August. At theconference, the Ministry launched aninteractive CD-ROM on potato forfarmers and extensionists, with a mapof land suitable for growing potatoesand a book of potato recipes.

Canadai

Growers raise fundsfor women’s shelterThe farmers’ association PotatoGrowers of Alberta (PGA) tookpotatoes to the annual Cornfest inTaber, southern Alberta, Canada, inlate August. Over the space of twodays, the PGA’s potato stand sold$3 000 worth of baked potatoes,mashed potatoes, French fries andpotato chips to raise funds for a localwomen’s crisis shelter. The shelterprovides free food and lodging towomen and children who areattempting to escape from a life ofabuse and poverty.

Chinai

Festival at heart of China’spotato industryThe county of Xiji, in the mountainousNingxia Hui Autonomous Region ofnorthwest China, hosted in Septemberthe country’s biggest annual potatofair. Xiji and surrounding rural countiesare the centre of China’s rapidlyexpanding potato industry, with atotal production of more than 2.5million tonnes a year. The county’s2 000 potato processing companiesship potato products throughout Chinaand to markets in Japan, SouthAmerica and Europe.

Perui

Peru celebrates “breadof the Andes”La papa, pan del mundo Andino – or,“Potato: Bread of the Andean world” –was the title of an exhibition at Lima’sMuseo Nacional de Arqueología,Antropología e Historia that ran until31 December. On display were exhibitson the potato’s pre- and post-Columbian history, its biodiversity,nutritional value and role in Andeanculture, and a series of paintings ofAndean farmers by Japanese artistTadayuki Noguchi (below).

Belarusi

Art-bulba exhibitionin MinskBelarus’ State University of Cultureorganized an art exhibitionin the capital, Minsk,dedicated to the bulba.“It must be true artwhen people growplants purely forpleasure,” said theuniversity’s gallerydirector. “Just as theJapanese enjoy watching cherry treesblossom, Belarusians love to plantpotatoes in May and dig them up inSeptember”. Belarusians eat morepotatoes per head than any othercountry – an estimated 180 kg a year.

United Statesof America

57th Posen Potato FestivalPolish immigrants who settled in thetown of Posen, Michigan, in the UnitedStates, brought with them theirnational passion for potatoes, whichgrow well in the area’s deep, sandysoils. For more than 50 years, the endof the harvest season has beencelebrated at the Posen potatofestival, which features free concerts,children’s entertainment, a potatocooking contest and selection of theMiss Posen beauty queen.

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Sloveniai

World Festival of SautéedPotatoesGourmets from Europe and the UnitedStates attended the 8th World Festival

of Sautéed Potatoes inCrna na Koroškem, innorthern Slovenia. Theannual event bringstogether cooking teamswho pan-fry tons ofpotatoes with a varietyof ingredients, includinggoose liver, ostrich, sourcream and walnuts. The

festival is hosted by a Slovenianassociation dedicated to enjoyment ofthe country's national dish, praženkrompir.

Francei

PotatoEurope 2008Billed as Europe’s “most significantpotato industry convention”,PotatoEurope 2008 was held in Villers-Saint-Christophe, northern France, on10 and 11 September. More than3 000 visitors came to the event, whichfeatured workshops on potato geneticresources, agronomy, soilconservation, crop optimization andsustainability, and demonstrations ofinnovative harvesting and post-

harvest technologies.


SEPTEMBER

Italyi

Sagra della patatain TuscanyIn Italy’s rural areas, September is thetime for festivals (or sagre) thatcelebrate the fruits of the agriculturalyear. In potato-growing areas, visitorsand locals get together in villagepiazzas for concerts, antique marketsand sporting events, all accompaniedby tasty potato dishes, such as gnocchi.One of the oldest running potatoharvest festivals has been held since1968 in the town of Oreno, in Tuscany.

Germanyi

Potato dumplingscelebrated in ThuringiaThe German state of Thuringia isfamous for its potato dumplings andthe potato dumpling museum whichopened in 1999 in the town ofHeichelheim. In September, theHeichelheimer Potato Foundationhosted the state’s annual potatofestival, where celebrities harvestedtubers, and visitors enjoyed a range ofattractions, including a photographyexhibition, a competition for thelongest potato peel, and lots of potatodumplings.


A potato-shapedhot air balloonThe annual Spokane ValleyFest inWashington, the United States,honoured the potato with a variety ofactivities, including the launching of apotato-shaped hot-air balloon and acommunity “hunger run” to raisemoney for the Spokane Valley FoodBank. This year, the WashingtonPotato Commission donated half atonne of potatoes for sale at thefestival. In 2007, Washington’s potatoharvest was 4.6 million tonnes.

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Rwandai

Potato celebratedon World Food DayRwanda’s national IYP committeecelebrated the International Year inconjunction with World Food Day inthe potato-growing district of Nyabihuon 16 October. Rwandans had much tocelebrate: the country is among sub-Saharan Africa’s biggest potatoproducers (1.2 million tonnes in 2007),and potato consumption stands at ahigh 125 kg per capita per year.


Finlandi

“Potatoes todayand in the future”Peru’s embassy in Helsinki celebratedIYP by hosting a potato photographyexhibition, a sampling of potato dishesand a lecture on “Potatoes today and inthe future”, which was delivered by JariValkonen, an award winning plantvirologist at Helsinki University. Theevent was co-sponsored by Finland’sMinistry of Agriculture and FAO. In2007, Finland produced 680 000tonnes of potatoes.

Spaini

Potato science links Europe,Latin AmericaThe 3rd Spanish-American Congress onPotato Research and Development washeld in Vitoria-Gasteiz, Spain, inOctober. The congress, which aimed atforging closer ties between the potatosectors in Latin America and Europe,addressed recent developments ingenetic improvement, geneticengineering, micropropagation of seedpotatoes, industrial processing andquality marketing. The congress washeld as part of “Potato week”.


Living with potatoesTo raise awareness of the importanceof the potato for world food security,the College of Agricultural Science andTechnology at California StateUniversity, Fresno, hosted aninternational symposium on “Livingwith potatoes” on 7 October. The eventprovided a global forum for potatogrowers, researchers, processors andequipment suppliers who areinterested in promoting sustainablepotato production.

OCTOBER

Ukrainei

The latest on potato pestsand diseasesThe European and MediterraneanPlant Protection Organization (EPPO)and Ukraine’s plant quarantine serviceorganized a European phytosanitaryconference on potato and other arablecrops in Chernovtsy in October. Themeeting reviewed the latest EPPOstandards for potato, and discussedmajor pest and disease threats,including wart disease and cystnematodes. It also examinedemerging pests of the Solanaceaefamily of plants.

Australiai

Irish potato faminerememberedDuring the Irish “potato famine” of1845-1850, more than 4 000 femaleorphans were shipped to Britishcolonies in Australia to work asservants. To commemorate the 160thanniversary of their arrival, an Irish-Australian historical society hosted aweek-long event in Galong, nearCanberra, entitled “Far from famine”.The programme included workshops,Irish music and dancing, a treeplanting ceremony and acommemoration service.

United Kingdomi

Sausage and mashPeople in Lincolnshire, in the east ofEngland, are so proud of theirdistinctive “Lincolnshiresausage” that they areseeking to register the nameto protect it from imitations.And since the sausages areusually served with mashedpotatoes – and Lincolnshireis one of the UnitedKingdom‘s biggest potato producers –the organizers decided to celebrateboth foods together, at theLincolnshire Sausage and MashFestival on 25 October.

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Turkeyi

Harvest day in AnatoliaWith its hot, dry summers and coldwinters, Anatolia’s central plateau is

Turkey’s most importantpotato producing region. It isalso the site of the country’sNational Potato ResearchInstitute, at Niğde, which isresponsible for potatobreeding, producing virus-free seed potatoes,conducting research projectsand training potato farmers.In October, while the region’s

potatoes were being harvested, theinstitute held a field day in honour ofthe International Year.

Democratic Republicof Congo

Big day in Mbanza-NgunguIYP in the Democratic Republic ofCongo culminated on 29 October witha potato festival organized by theMinistry of Agriculture and FAO inMbanza-Ngungu, in the province ofBas-Congo, from where potato farmerssupply markets in Kinshasa. During2008, the national IYP committeepublicized the International Year withTV spots and radio programmes, andmade a video on potato cultivation.


OCTOBER

NOVEMBER

Perui

Potato food festivalby Lake TiticacaThe city of Puno sits by the side of LakeTiticaca in Peru, at the centre of originof the cultivated potato. To celebratethe International Year, Puno’sRegional Agricultural Departmentsponsored in November a food festivalat which special guests of honour werethe potato and tunta, a dehydratedpotato product. Activities included acontest among the city’s restaurantsfor the best potato dish.

Argentinai

Latin American potatocongressThe Latin American PotatoAssociation, which links producers,researchers, extensionists andprocessors, held its 23rd annualcongress in Mar del Plata City from 30November to 5 December. Sponsoredby Argentina’s National AgriculturalTechnology Institute, the congressaimed at disseminating researchresults and technological innovationsand fostering ties between private andpublic sectors in the region.

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DECEMBER2009

New Zealandi

The story continues...The biennial World Potato Congresswill be held in Christchurch, NewZealand, in March 2009. With thetheme “Nourishing our future”, thefour-day congress will review thelatest developments in cropmanagement, environment andenergy issues, food and non-foodprocessing, and food safety andquality. More than 500 delegates,representing the potato industry inboth developed and developingcountries, are expected to attend.

Italyi

Potato on displayat FAO, RomeAs lead agency for observation of IYP,the Food and Agriculture Organizationended the International Year with apotato exhibition in its glass-domedatrium. The exhibition consisted ofthree separate displays: one, in Italian“The magic voyage of the potato”,provided by Italy’s Fruili Venezia Giuliaregion, CIP’s travelling exhibition“Odyssey of the potato”, the winningentries in the IYP World PhotographyContest, and paintings of Andeanfarmers by Tadayuki Noguchi.

Belgiumi

Prizes for potato qualityWinners of the Belgian Potato QualityAward received their prizes atBelgium’s Interpom trade fair inKortrijk in December. The awards aregiven each year to potato farmers andprocessors who have improved thepublic image of agriculture in generaland of potatoes in particular. Interpomalso featured exhibits covering theentire production chain, from cropprotection to processing.

Indiai

Global conference marksend of IYP 2008The task facing potato scientists is toenhance productivity, quality andadded value at a time of diminishingavailability of land and water, newbiotic and abiotic stresses, and fastchanging consumer preferences. Thosechallenges were to be addressed at aGlobal Potato Conference organized inNew Delhi by the Indian PotatoAssociation, India’s Central PotatoResearch Institute and the IndianCouncil of Agricultural Research.

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Documents

IYP around the globeIYP around the globe People observed the International Year with scientific conferences, potato growers' congresses, festivals of biodiversity, cooking contests,