News

The World Potato Congress Inc. is pleased to be hosting, as part of our ongoing webinar series, a webinar to share planning for the 2026 International Day of the Potato (IDP).

Date:
Friday, May 15, 2026 from 14:00-15:00 CET (Brussels)/8:00-9:00am EDT (Toronto).

Background:

The United Nations General Assembly, in December 2023, designated May 30 as the International Day of Potato (IDP).

This IDP webinar will showcase global production trends, as well as provide an overview of how celebrations are beginning to unfold around the globe. The IDP brings together governments and potato associations from around the world in creating one global celebration, facilitated by the FAO, through social media interactions and in-person events which convey key messages about the potato.

The WPC Inc. is pleased to collaborate with the Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations. (FAO) in this webinar. The FAO, as the United Nations agency facilitating the observance of the International Day of the Potato, is committed to support countries to develop sustainable potato value chains and calls upon all stakeholders to do the same.

FAO’s site on IDP:

Meet the hosts:

Makiko Taguchi serves in the role as Agricultural Officer, within the Plant Production and Protection Division of the Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations. (FAO).

She has a BSc and MSc in Agronomy from the Tokyo University of Agriculture and Technology. Makiko has over 20 years of experience supporting agricultural development, including integrated pest management, Farmer Field Schools, diversification, and urban food systems, and currently serves as the technical focal point for the International Day of Potato.

Dr André Devaux is an agronomist with a PhD in Agricultural Sciences from the Catholic University of Louvain (UCLouvain), Belgium. He has more than 35 years of experience in research for development and innovation with the International Potato Center (CIP) and with other organizations such as the FAO, IFAD (International Fund for Agriculture Development), EU (European Union), and the Swiss Agency for Development (SDC). He has extensive applied research experience in potato production systems, value chain development approaches, food security, innovation systems, and public-private partnerships. He has collaborated with national and international multidisciplinary teams in Latin America (Andes), East Africa (Rwanda, Burundi, Congo, and Uganda) and Asia (Pakistan). He worked in the Andes, Bolivia, Peru, and Ecuador, from 1990 until 2019, developing innovation approaches for inclusive value chain development as well as food and nutrition security taking advantage of native potato biodiversity.

In 2012, he assumed the position of director of CIP’s Regional Program for Latin America, coordinating CIP’s activities in the Andes and promoting institutional alliances and capacity building in Central America and the Caribbean. He was nominated Scientist Emeritus at the International Potato Center (CIP) in 2019 and is now based in Belgium where he remains active as an independent consultant and Member of the World Potato Congress’ Board of Directors.

Register Here for the Upcoming Webinar

The World Potato Congress Inc. looks forward to hosting the global potato community at the 13th World Potato Congress to be held this October in Naivasha, Kenya.  More details can be found here.

Thank you to the following World Potato Congress Inc. Sustaining Partners who support the ongoing work of the WPC Inc.