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This international webinar, organized to mark the International Day of the Potato, will explore how this strategic crop contributes to food security, sustainable agriculture, and the resilience of rural communities.

Through case studies and field experiences from the Andes, China, and West Africa, three experts will highlight the diverse roles of the potato in improving livelihoods, nutrition, and economic opportunities for smallholder farmers.

The webinar will be held with simultaneous interpretation in English, French, and Spanish by the following presenters:

André Devaux is a Belgian agronomist with over 35 years of experience in research for development. His career has been largely associated with the International Potato Center (CIP), where he held various positions in East Africa, Pakistan and the Andes, including Regional Director for Latin America. He coordinated CIP’s programs in the Andes and contributed significantly to the promotion of native potato diversity and smallholder competitiveness in the Andes. He is Director on the World Potato Congress Board.

Bruno Vanderhofstadt is an agronomist who has dedicated his entire career to developing potato-based projects across Africa. He is the author of two landmark technical manuals on potato cultivation: one focused on West Africa and the other on the Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC). His work has contributed to the expansion of potato farming from a luxury product to a key food crop in multiple African regions.

François Serneels is an agronomist who led international cooperation projects at CARAH, particularly in China and other Asian countries. His expertise on potato systems and disease warning networks has been widely recognized. He was honored by the Chinese government as one of the 40 most influential foreign experts since China’s opening and received the prestigious “Friendship Award,” the highest distinction granted to a foreign expert in the country.

Register now on Eventbrite

We recommend installing Microsoft Teams in advance to access the interpretation function.

We look forward to seeing you there!

Shaping history, feeding the future.

How can you Celebrate International Potato Day?:

More resources can be found on the FAO website to help in promoting and shaping your day.

• Official Press release: https://www.fao.org/plant-production-protection/news-and-events/news/news-detail/fao-announces-the-theme-for-international-day-of-potato-2025/en
• The second edition of A Guide to International Day of Potato for ideas, resources, and practical tips for different stakeholders to engage in the Day meaningfully. Available in Arabic, Chinese, English, French, Russian and Spanish.
• The International Day of Potato website for up-to-date news, stories, events, videos, and facts on the potato.
• The Digital Media Hub to download the official visual identity and communications materials in six official FAO languages to advocate for the potato.
• The Trello board to access ready-to-use social media contents and publish your posts incorporating the hashtag #InternationalDayofPotato.

The original slogan and logo “Harvesting diversity, feeding hope”, will remain as the permanent visual for IDP with a new theme chosen each year.

The FAO and WPC encourages all levels to use the guide, visual identity and tag line provided by the FAO to celebrate the potato in their region of the globe and share your campaign #InternationalDayofPotato.

As the 3rd most consumed food globally, the potato also offers enormous untapped potential. We can all get involved. Together we can raise awareness and advance the potential of the potato to combat hunger and malnutrition.