30-th of May is International day of Potato

May 29, 2024

Today, May 30, the happening of International Day of Potato will take place for the first time. Not only at the FAO headquarters in Rome, but all over the world. In the Netherlands, the agricultural spokespersons of the various political parties are given a real potato quiz and in the meantime they are updated on the importance of the potato in the Netherlands, but also all over the world. Another example is that runners can participate in a 5K virtual race organized by PotatoesUSA via Strava. For more global initiatives, check out the site of World Potato Congress.

Sharing of vision

In Rome at the FAO, the day starts at the farmers’ market, where the focus is on diversity in the potato varieties and various production systems. The famous Italian potato dish Gnocci is also in the spotlight. In the afternoon, knowledge transfer will be the focus of a seminar on the role of the potato in the value chain of global food security. Here, potato connoisseurs André Devaux, board member of the World Potato Congress, Sean Owens of the Irish company IPM potato Group, Erika den Daas of Dutch breeding company Meijer Potato, Jorge Anrade Piedra of the CIP Potato Centre, Nicola Pizzoli, of the Italian company Pizzoli and Aldo Riozzoglio of Ortofruticola Patfruit will share their vision.

Official kick-off

Following this is the official kick-off of the day with the director general Qu Dongyu taking the floor first, followed by Paula Naráez of organization ECDOSOC. This will be followed by two keynote speeches by Angel Manuel Manero Campos, Minister of Agrarian Development and Irrigation, Ministry of Agrarian Development and Irrigation, of the Republic of Peru, followed by Bruno Archi, Ambassador, Permanent Representative of the Republic of Italy to FAO, Permanent Representation of the Republic of Italy to FAO. The day will be officially kicked off via a live video connection with Peru by Simon Heck, Director-General, International Potato Center (CIP) and Vania Azevedo, Leader of the Programme Biodiversity for the Future and Genebank Head, International Potato Center (CIP).

Panel discussion

After this, a panel existing of growers, researchers and other players from the potato value chain will give their views. The panel consists of Prof JIN Liping, Chinese Academy of Agricultural Science; Gustavo Mostajo Ocola, Agricultural Expert, Embassy of Peru to Italy; Rossana Polastri, Regional Director for Latin America and the Caribbean, IFAD; Martha Mamani Condori, farmer/member of AGUAPAN Peru and Victor Anco Chirinos, farmer/member of AGUAPAN Peru. The closing ceremony will be done by Máximo Torero, Chief Economist, Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO). All these presentations can be followed live on the FAO website .

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