News
Leveraging potatoes to address malnutrition in Africa
On Monday, a call went out for deliberate efforts to increase potato and sweet potatoes production for sustainable nutritious food systems in Africa. These statements were made at the opening of the 11th triennial Conference of the African Potato Association (APA) in Kigali, capital city of Rwanda.
Potato and sweet potatoes present global opportunities such as enhancing dietary quality in resource-poor countries, improving productivity and farm income as well as facilitating climate change adaption, said Oscar Ortiz, deputy director general of the International Potato Center, which co-organized the event with the African Potato Association and Rwandan Ministry of Agriculture and Animal Resources.
Besides feeding needs as a source of energy and vitamins, potatoes present opportunities through trade and processing which can boost entrepreneurship, said Romain Cools, vice president of the World Potato Congress.
Average productivity of potato and sweet potato in Rwanda is 10 tons per hectare and 7 tons per hectare respectively, and it has 101 fully functional potato collection centers in major potato producing areas, said Rwandan Minister of Agriculture Geraldine Mukeshimana.
More than 200 researchers, decision makers and development partners from 20 African countries are attending the conference that began on Monday. The four-day event is held under the theme “Leveraging the contribution of potato and sweet potato for sustainable nutritious food systems.”
As reported by xinhuanet.com, the number of undernourished people in sub-Saharan Africa rose from 181 million in 2010 to about 222 million in 2016, according to the World Health Organization.
Source : Freshplaza
Latest News
Sector papa y COVID-19 en la zona Andina_ADevaux
World Potato Congress Inc. Webinar – November 11, 2021 at 9:00 a.m. Eastern Standard Time with Netafim’s Yechiam Gets, Crop Model Agronomist Presenting “Basics of irrigation for processing potatoes and…
The call for abstract submission for WPC 2022 is open and authors are encouraged to submit their abstract online for consideration. Authors can submit for oral and poster presentations. Please…
The World Potato Congress Inc. (WPC) is very pleased to announce The Little Potato Company as its newest Silver Sustaining Partner. President & CEO Romain Cools stated: “The World Potato…
The World Potato Congress Inc.’s (WPC) Board of Directors is very pleased to announce Mr. Willie Jacobs as its newest International Advisor from South Africa. President & CEO Romain Cools…
The World Potato Congress Inc.’s (WPC) Board of Directors is very pleased to announce Easyfresh as its newest Silver Sustaining Partner. President & CEO Romain Cools stated: “We extend a…
The World Potato Congress Inc.’s (WPC) Board of Directors is very pleased to announce Netafim as its newest Platinum Sustaining Partner. President & CEO Romain Cools stated: “Getting Netafim on…
World Potato Congress Inc. Webinar March 31, 2021 at 09:00 a.m. Eastern Standard Time – “Late Blight: 175 years of experience. What have we learned? An update.” presented by Albert…
Franz Grimme, honorary citizen of Damme (Germany) and owner of the GRIMME Group, turns 75 on 3 March this year. In 1970, at the age of 24, he joined GRIMME…
The World Potato Congress Inc.’s (WPC) Board of Directors is very pleased to announce TriCal Group as its newest Platinum Sustaining Partner. President & CEO Romain Cools stated:”TriCal Group is…