APRIL MARCH

88 International Year of the Potato 2008 New light on a hidden treasure

Australiai Spud Day, and a recipe book The Wimmera Home Educators’ Group – parents who educate their children at home – has celebrated International Years for Mountains (2002) and for Deserts and Desertification (2006). For IYP, the group held a potato day in the town of Dimboola on 13 March and produced a potato recipe book. Farmers grow cereals on Wimmera’s drylands, but are Chinai now turning to higher value crops such Call for action at potato Netherlandsi olives and potatoes. congress More than 120 delegates from China Patents, potatoes and sharing technology Canadai and abroad met in Beijing for the ninth China Potato Congress, co- An international conference was held Homage to St. Patrick organized by the Chinese Potato at Wageningen University and and “the spud” Association and the Ministry of Research Centre on 11 April to discuss Each year on St. Patrick’s Day (the feast Agriculture. Describing the potato “possible tensions” between the day of Ireland’s patron saint), a group industry as vital to national food practice of public organizations to of citizens in Vancouver, Canada, security and rural development, the patent their innovations in the life organize a “Homage to the Spud” Vice-Minister of Agriculture, Wei sciences, and the need to ensure celebration in Chaoan, said action was needed to developing countries’ access to new recognition of the improve seed potato quality, introduce technologies. International experts potato’s contribution to new varieties and improve processing presented their views on this complex Irish life and culture. technology. issue, with particular reference to the Participants bring case of potato research at dishes in which potatoes are the Wageningen, and offered potential main ingredient, and prizes are Sri Lankai solutions to the dilemmas at hand. awarded for the most creative dish. Potato symposium The event also serves to raise funds for in Sri Lanka local charities that support youth To celebrate IYP, Sri Lanka’s outreach services. Department of Agriculture hosted a symposium on “Potato: Opportunities and challenges in the new millennium” at its Sita Eliya Agricultural Research Station. Established in 1960, and proposed as a national potato research centre, the station currently produces disease-free planting material and develops early maturing, high yielding varieties adapted to the country’s cropping systems. MAY

Chinai Progress report on late blight Late blight – the mould disease that caused Ireland's disastrous “potato Francei famine” – remains one of the most Potatoes as haute cuisine destructive diseases of S. tuberosum. The Cordon Bleu School in held a But the last five years have seen major one-day course on applying French advances in many areas of research on culinary techniques in the preparation late blight and its causal agent, of potato dishes. Working under the Phytophthora infestans. Leading supervision and guidance of a chef, scientists met in Beijing for the Third students prepared five recipes using International Late Blight Conference, different types of pommes de terre. The to consolidate new knowledge and students were free to take home and foster greater international consume their day’s work. The Cordon collaboration. Bleu school, a world leader in gastronomic education, first opened in Brazili Australiai Paris in 1895. “Potato’s importance Outdoor art “inspired by spud” Bangladeshi to humanity” Every two years, the city of Sydney Delegates from 21 countries of Latin hosts a one-day “Art in the park” Launch of country-wide America and the Caribbean celebrated exhibition of contemporary art. campaign IYP at the FAO Regional Conference Inspired by IYP, the subject of the As part of IYP, Bangladesh held in Brasilia. The Independent exhibition in 2008 was the “humble launched a nation-wide Chairman of the FAO Council, spud”. The curator urged local and Potato Campaign. Jointly Mohammed Saeid Noori-Naeini, said visiting artists to contribute “artworks organized by the that through IYP the world had inspired by the potato – potatoes as Bangladeshi Ministry of recognized “the importance of the metaphor, potatoes as subject, Defence, the Ministry of potato to humanity” and the potatoes as medium”. The day’s event Agriculture and FAO, the contribution to agriculture of other included entertainment and campaign aimed at crops domesticated in the region, workshops for both adults and promoting the potato as part including maize, cassava, beans and children. of a diversified diet, and cacao. increasing consumption of the country’s 2007 bumper harvest Perui of 4.3 million tonnes. The launch First national potato was followed by initiatives at congress district and sub-district level Peru held its first ever National Potato throughout the month of May. Congress in the city of Huancayo, in the country’s central highlands, from 20 to 23 May. Organized around the theme of “Science, art and business”, the congress included presentations on potato production, processing, marketing and utilization, exhibits on biodiversity and potato gastronomy, and a visit to the national potato research station at Santa Ana.

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90 International Year of the Potato 2008 New light on a hidden treasure

Chinai Switzerlandi South Africai Potato cuisine promoted Europatat: Potato exhibition in Beijing 60th general assembly in Pretoria IYP representatives distributed Europatat, an umbrella organization of The University of Pretoria in South promotional materials and mounted a wholesale potato merchants in 16 Africa hosted a potato photographic photographic exhibition on the potato European countries, held its 60th exhibition provided by the Embassy of at the annual convention of the China general assembly in Bern, Peru for the whole month of June as Cuisine Association, held in Beijing. from 29-31 May. The meeting, which part of the country’s IYP celebrations. The convention was attended by 1 000 focused on “the potato in the future”, The potato producers and processors’ people from local cuisine associations, featured presentations on the association, Potatoes South Africa, catering companies and research influence of climate change on potato announced that, in support of the institutes. Addressing visitors, the farming, the potential of genetic Millennium Development Goal of governor of Dingbian County, in modification, and the viewpoints of eradicating poverty, five cents would Shaanxi Province – China’s main producers and consumers on be donated to charity for every bag of potato growing region – said the food genetically modified potatoes. potatoes sold up to December 2008. industry should increase investments in the potato. Perui Netherlandsi National Potato Day All about seed systems Sloveniai Peru celebrated its National Potato The Wageningen University and Monument to the krompir Day on 30 May with ceremonies and Research Centre in the In Slovenia, an association dedicated festivities. In Cusco, local authorities held a three-week course on seed to pan-frying potatoes with onions held a native potato gastronomy potato technology, certification and unveiled a monument to the festival, while in Lima potato growers supply systems. The course covered potato in the mountain town from 14 regions of Peru gathered for a the use of modern technology in both of Šencur on 25 May. The potato fair in the Park of Legends. formal and informal seed supply monument depicts Maria systems in different agro-ecological Theresa, the archduchess of regions of the world. Relevant Austria (who decreed in the examples from the Dutch seed potato mid-18th century that industry were demonstrated and Slovenian farmers discussed. should start growing potatoes) with a tuber in her hand. B. ZRIMŠEK B. FAO Perui Biodiversity awards for Peruvian farmers The future of world potato production depends on efforts to conserve and use the rich potato genepool in the crop’s centre of origin, Peru. To honour those who have contributed to conserving Andean native potato varieties, the Peruvian government and the national IYP committee awarded prizes to 35 farmers, farming families and communities in Lima on 25 June, which is also Peru’s National Farmers’ Day.

Ecuadori Kenyai Potato congress in Quito With the support of FAO, the Central President Kibaki visits Polandi University of Ecuador hosted in Quito IYP exhibit the country’s Third Potato Congress, The President of Kenya, Mwai Kibaki Potato processing which focused on environmental (left) and FAO’s Director General, and storage impacts of potato production, new Jacques Diouf (right), toured the IYP Top-level experts from the potato opportunities for processed potato exhibit at the FAO Regional Conference science and business communities products and a land suitability for Africa, held in Nairobi. They were made presentations at the assessment. The congress was briefed by Juan Landeo (centre), Senior International Potato Processing and attended by 380 delegates from 50 Potato Breeder at CIP’s Office for Sub- Storage Convention held in Warsaw in institutions. Saharan Africa. June. Topics ranged from pest and disease control strategies to trends in Republic of Koreai food safety legislation, business opportunities in emerging markets, “Month of the potato” and GMO risks in the supply chain. festival With an average summer temperature of around 23°C, the mountainous Austriai county of Goesan, in the Republic of Potato a “collective Korea, is well suited to potato heritage” production. In June, the county’s A report to the FAO Regional potato farmers invited city dwellers to Conference for , held in participate in cooking contests at the Innsbruck, Austria, said annual “Month of the potato” festival. Finland’s lapin puikula As well as growing excellent potatoes, potato was one of Goesan is known for its chili peppers many traditional and ginseng. agricultural and food products in Europe that are “a collective heritage resulting from a complex, historical interaction between humans and their environment”. The Conference was attended by delegates from 42 countries and the European Union.

91 IYP AROUND THE GLOBE AUGUST JULY

92 International Year of the Potato 2008 New light on a hidden treasure

Romaniai Italyi Canada,i European Association ’s national potato United States for Potato Research meeting of America Potato experts gathered in Brasov, One of the key events of the Romania, in July for the four-day Potato harvest festivals International Year of the Potato in August is potato harvest time in much congress of the European Association Italy was the biennial national potato for Potato Research (EAPR). Lectures, of southern Canada and northern meeting held in Budrio, near Bologna. United States. To celebrate the end of workshops and poster presentations The event included a conference on covered advances in genomics and the season, many towns threw a party industrial use of potatoes, a in honour of Solanum tuberosum. breeding, micropropagation technology expo, an exhibition of innovations, new insights into crop Among them: the 36th annual potato vintage potato farming equipment, a festival in Alliston (Ontario), Potato management, potato product tractor race and harvesting contest, development, climate change, and the Days in Clark (South Dakota) and and a meeting of officials from the Barnesville (Minnesota), and the changing role of the potato in Central country’s patata-producing areas. Europe. traditional potato celebration in Manhattan (Montana). United Statesi of America United Kingdomi Maine Potato Blossom IYP conference in Scotland Festival Scotland’s contribution to the Year of Every year in July, for the past 60 years, the Potato was a major conference on the citizens of Maine – where potato is improving potato production, held in the No. 1 crop – have Dundee on 8 August. Organized by the celebrated the Scottish Crop Research Institute, the blossoming of the state’s conference was attended by a high level delegation from China. The potato plants. The year Hondurasi 2008 was no exception: conference followed the United hosted in the town of Potato brunch Kingdom‘s largest annual potato field Fort Fairfield, the festival in Tegucigalpa event, “Potatoes in practice”, held in featured nine days of FAO, the Peruvian embassy and a Dundee on 7 August. sports tournaments, department store chain inaugurated music concerts, mashed IYP in Honduras with two days of Indonesiai festivities, including a potato brunch, WWW.FORTCC.ORG potato wrestling, an in Tegucigalpa. For the occasion, FAO National potato week antique tractor show, and a pageant to in Lembang select the Potato Blossom Queen. published a book of 100 potato recipes. The inauguration was Indonesia is one of Asia’s middle- followed by a seminar on potato ranking potato producers, with a 2007 production and marketing in the city harvest of just over 1 million tonnes. To of Esperanza, one of the country’s celebrate IYP, the Indonesian main potato growing areas. Vegetable Research Institute organized a National Potato Week held in Lembang, western Java, an area famous for its fruits and vegetables. IVEGRI is a partner of the International Potato Center in programmes for the improvement of potato and sweet potato varieties. SEPTEMBER MSIRI

Chinai Belarusi Festival at heart of China’s Art-bulba exhibition potato industry in Minsk The county of Xiji, in the mountainous Belarus’ State University of Culture Mauritiusi Ningxia Hui Autonomous Region of organized an art exhibition IYP event promotes potato northwest China, hosted in September in the capital, Minsk, production the country’s biggest annual potato dedicated to the bulba. On the Indian Ocean island of fair. Xiji and surrounding rural counties “It must be true art Mauritius, the Ministry of Agro- are the centre of China’s rapidly when people grow Industry and Fisheries and the expanding potato industry, with a plants purely for country’s Sugar Industry Research total production of more than 2.5 pleasure,” said the Institute hosted a potato conference million tonnes a year. The county’s university’s gallery and exhibition on 21-22 August. At the 2 000 potato processing companies director. “Just as the conference, the Ministry launched an ship potato products throughout China Japanese enjoy watching cherry trees interactive CD-ROM on potato for and to markets in Japan, South blossom, Belarusians love to plant farmers and extensionists, with a map America and Europe. potatoes in May and dig them up in of land suitable for growing potatoes September”. Belarusians eat more and a book of potato recipes. Perui potatoes per head than any other country – an estimated 180 kg a year. Peru celebrates “bread Canadai of the Andes” Growers raise funds La papa, pan del mundo Andino – or, United States for women’s shelter “Potato: Bread of the Andean world” – of America The farmers’ association Potato was the title of an exhibition at Lima’s 57th Posen Potato Festival Growers of Alberta (PGA) took Museo Nacional de Arqueología, Polish immigrants who settled in the potatoes to the annual Cornfest in Antropología e Historia that ran until town of Posen, Michigan, in the United Taber, southern Alberta, Canada, in 31 December. On display were exhibits States, brought with them their late August. Over the space of two on the potato’s pre- and post- national passion for potatoes, which days, the PGA’s potato stand sold Columbian history, its biodiversity, grow well in the area’s deep, sandy $3 000 worth of baked potatoes, nutritional value and role in Andean soils. For more than 50 years, the end mashed potatoes, French fries and culture, and a series of paintings of of the harvest season has been potato chips to raise funds for a local Andean farmers by Japanese artist celebrated at the Posen potato women’s crisis shelter. The shelter Tadayuki Noguchi (below). festival, which features free concerts, provides free food and lodging to children’s entertainment, a potato women and children who are cooking contest and selection of the attempting to escape from a life of Miss Posen beauty queen. abuse and poverty.

93 IYP AROUND THE GLOBE SEPTEMBER

94 International Year of the Potato 2008 New light on a hidden treasure

Sloveniai Italyi World Festival of Sautéed Sagra della patata Potatoes in Tuscany Gourmets from Europe and the United In Italy’s rural areas, September is the States attended the 8th World Festival time for festivals (or sagre) that of Sautéed Potatoes in celebrate the fruits of the agricultural Crna na Koroškem, in year. In potato-growing areas, visitors northern Slovenia. The and locals get together in village annual event brings piazzas for concerts, antique markets together cooking teams and sporting events, all accompanied who pan-fry tons of by tasty potato dishes, such as gnocchi. potatoes with a variety One of the oldest running potato of ingredients, including harvest festivals has been held since United States goose liver, ostrich, sour 1968 in the town of Oreno, in Tuscany. of America VALLEYFEST B. ZRIMŠEK B. cream and walnuts. The festival is hosted by a Slovenian Germanyi A potato-shaped association dedicated to enjoyment of hot air balloon the country's national dish, pražen Potato dumplings The annual Spokane ValleyFest in krompir. celebrated in Thuringia Washington, the United States, The German state of Thuringia is honoured the potato with a variety of famous for its potato dumplings and Francei activities, including the launching of a the potato dumpling museum which potato-shaped hot-air balloon and a PotatoEurope 2008 opened in 1999 in the town of community “hunger run” to raise Billed as Europe’s “most significant Heichelheim. In September, the money for the Spokane Valley Food potato industry convention”, Heichelheimer Potato Foundation Bank. This year, the Washington PotatoEurope 2008 was held in Villers- hosted the state’s annual potato Potato Commission donated half a Saint-Christophe, northern , on festival, where celebrities harvested tonne of potatoes for sale at the 10 and 11 September. More than tubers, and visitors enjoyed a range of festival. In 2007, Washington’s potato 3 000 visitors came to the event, which attractions, including a photography harvest was 4.6 million tonnes. featured workshops on potato genetic exhibition, a competition for the resources, agronomy, soil longest potato peel, and lots of potato conservation, crop optimization and dumplings. sustainability, and demonstrations of innovative harvesting and post- harvest technologies. OCTOBER

Finlandi Ukrainei Rwandai “Potatoes today The latest on potato pests Potato celebrated and in the future” and diseases on World Food Day Peru’s embassy in Helsinki celebrated The European and Mediterranean Rwanda’s national IYP committee IYP by hosting a potato photography Plant Protection Organization (EPPO) celebrated the International Year in exhibition, a sampling of potato dishes and Ukraine’s plant quarantine service conjunction with World Food Day in and a lecture on “Potatoes today and in organized a European phytosanitary the potato-growing district of Nyabihu the future”, which was delivered by Jari conference on potato and other arable on 16 October. Rwandans had much to Valkonen, an award winning plant crops in Chernovtsy in October. The celebrate: the country is among sub- virologist at Helsinki University. The meeting reviewed the latest EPPO Saharan Africa’s biggest potato event was co-sponsored by Finland’s standards for potato, and discussed producers (1.2 million tonnes in 2007), Ministry of Agriculture and FAO. In major pest and disease threats, and potato consumption stands at a 2007, Finland produced 680 000 including wart disease and cyst high 125 kg per capita per year. tonnes of potatoes. nematodes. It also examined emerging pests of the Solanaceae Spaini family of plants. Potato science links Europe, Latin America Australiai The 3rd Spanish-American Congress on Irish potato famine Potato Research and Development was remembered held in Vitoria-Gasteiz, Spain, in During the Irish “potato famine” of October. The congress, which aimed at 1845-1850, more than 4 000 female forging closer ties between the potato orphans were shipped to British sectors in Latin America and Europe, colonies in Australia to work as addressed recent developments in servants. To commemorate the 160th genetic improvement, genetic anniversary of their arrival, an Irish- United Kingdomi engineering, micropropagation of seed Australian historical society hosted a potatoes, industrial processing and week-long event in Galong, near Sausage and mash quality marketing. The congress was Canberra, entitled “Far from famine”. People in Lincolnshire, in the east of held as part of “Potato week”. The programme included workshops, England, are so proud of their Irish music and dancing, a tree distinctive “Lincolnshire sausage” that they are United States planting ceremony and a IBAN FAO commemoration service. seeking to register the name of America to protect it from imitations. Living with potatoes And since the sausages are To raise awareness of the importance usually served with mashed of the potato for world food security, potatoes – and Lincolnshire the College of Agricultural Science and is one of the United Technology at California State Kingdom‘s biggest potato producers – University, Fresno, hosted an the organizers decided to celebrate international symposium on “Living both foods together, at the with potatoes” on 7 October. The event Lincolnshire Sausage and Mash provided a global forum for potato Festival on 25 October. growers, researchers, processors and equipment suppliers who are interested in promoting sustainable potato production.

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_E.T Argentinai New light on a hidden treasure Latin American potato congress The Latin American Potato Turkeyi Association, which links producers, Harvest day in Anatolia researchers, extensionists and With its hot, dry summers and cold processors, held its 23rd annual NINA ARETZ winters, Anatolia’s central plateau is congress in Mar del Plata City from 30 Turkey’s most important November to 5 December. Sponsored potato producing region. It is by Argentina’s National Agricultural also the site of the country’s Technology Institute, the congress National Potato Research aimed at disseminating research Institute, at Niğde, which is results and technological innovations and fostering ties between private and responsible for potato Perui breeding, producing virus- public sectors in the region. free seed potatoes, Potato food festival conducting research projects by Lake Titicaca and training potato farmers. The city of Puno sits by the side of Lake In October, while the region’s Titicaca in Peru, at the centre of origin potatoes were being harvested, the of the cultivated potato. To celebrate institute held a field day in honour of the International Year, Puno’s the International Year. Regional Agricultural Department sponsored in November a food festival Democratic Republic at which special guests of honour were of Congo the potato and tunta, a dehydrated potato product. Activities included a Big day in Mbanza-Ngungu contest among the city’s restaurants IYP in the Democratic Republic of for the best potato dish. Congo culminated on 29 October with a potato festival organized by the Ministry of Agriculture and FAO in Mbanza-Ngungu, in the province of Bas-Congo, from where potato farmers supply markets in Kinshasa. During 2008, the national IYP committee publicized the International Year with TV spots and radio programmes, and made a video on potato cultivation. 2009 DECEMBER

New Zealandi The story continues... The biennial World Potato Congress will be held in Christchurch, New Zealand, in March 2009. With the theme “Nourishing our future”, the four-day congress will review the latest developments in crop management, environment and energy issues, food and non-food processing, and food safety and quality. More than 500 delegates, representing the potato industry in both developed and developing countries, are expected to attend.

Italyi G. THOMAS G. Potato on display at FAO, Rome Indiai As lead agency for observation of IYP, Global conference marks the Food and Agriculture Organization end of IYP 2008 ended the International Year with a The task facing potato scientists is to potato exhibition in its glass-domed enhance productivity, quality and atrium. The exhibition consisted of added value at a time of diminishing three separate displays: one, in Italian availability of land and water, new “The magic voyage of the potato”, biotic and abiotic stresses, and fast provided by Italy’s Fruili Venezia Giulia changing consumer preferences. Those region, CIP’s travelling exhibition challenges were to be addressed at a “Odyssey of the potato”, the winning Global Potato Conference organized in entries in the IYP World Photography New Delhi by the Indian Potato Contest, and paintings of Andean Association, India’s Central Potato farmers by Tadayuki Noguchi. Research Institute and the Indian Council of Agricultural Research. Belgiumi Prizes for potato quality Winners of the Belgian Potato Quality Award received their prizes at ’s Interpom trade fair in Kortrijk in December. The awards are given each year to potato farmers and processors who have improved the public image of agriculture in general and of potatoes in particular. Interpom also featured exhibits covering the entire production chain, from crop protection to processing.

97 IYP AROUND THE GLOBE