Perú: Scientific conference to present on National Potato Day

May 30 is right around the corner and that means it’s almost time for Peruvians to start celebrating the potato.

This years National Potato Day celebration will serve to publicize the achievements of scientific knowledge of the potato over the last few decades.

As part of the celebration the International Potato Center (CIP) will present their research on the past, present, and future of science related to the Peruvian potato.

The presentation on National Potato Day follows a series of scientific conferences taking place today, May 24, at CIP’s auditorium in the Molina District.

The Minister of Agriculture, Juan Manuel Benites, and the General Director of CIP, Dr. Barbara Wells, will initiate the conference.

At the conference, national and international investigators will unveil their findings concerning the various achievements of the potato industry.

The list of accomplishments is extensive, but includes the Genetic Bank of the Potato conserving thousands of varieties of potatoes, improving seeds, creating a better variety of potatoes, acknowledging the value of biodiversity in the market, and improvements based on the latest climate related research.

The scientific conference aims to provide everyone in the product chain with accurate, firsthand information about the progress of the potato so that they can benefit from it.

Topics to be discussed at the conference include conservation of the biodiversity of the potato, contributions to food security, nutrition and environmental preservation, sustainable agriculture adapted to the climate, and enhancement of biodiversity for the market in the context of climate-smart agriculture.

The information disseminated in this conference will continue to develop in the coming years and will contribute to sustainable agriculture in Peru, which influences the income of more than 700,000 farmers and their families.

CIP’s scientific conference will be capped off by the attendees enjoying a variety of dishes prepared with native potatoes while viewing a display of research innovations developed by CIP to boost the sector.