News

Date: Thursday, June 18, 2026 9:00-10:00am EDT (Toronto)/16:00h EAT (Nairobi).

 

With the July 1st early-bird registration deadline for the 13th World Potato Congress fast approaching, 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 World Potato Congress to be held in Naivasha, Kenya this October 26-30th.

Background:

The World Potato Congress is a biennial event which travels the globe, bringing the international potato community together for networking, information sharing and an up close look at the potato industry in the host country.  This year’s host is the beautiful country of Kenya where over 1000 delegates from around the world will convene this coming October.

This exclusive preview will unveil the strategic roadmap for the upcoming Congress, offering a first look at our world-class speakers’ program and high-value partner initiatives. Attendees will get an inside track on the upcoming commercial field days alongside a sneak peek at our highly anticipated post-Congress tours—where cutting-edge potato industry innovations meet the breathtaking wonder of Kenya’s iconic national parks.

At the upcoming Congress in Kenya, we are excited to be launching the International Potato Working Groups and hosting the FAO as they unveil the 2027 theme for International Day of the Potato.

For more information on the Congress:

 

Meet the Hosts

 

Dr Dinah Jeruto Borus:  Kenya Congress Program Co-Chair, Scientist Consultant at National Potato Council of Kenya. (NPCK is the Co-Host of the 13th World Potato Congress in Kenya.)

Dinah is a dynamic and results-driven Agricultural Scientist specializing in Agronomy, recognized for strong ethical values, motivation and commitment to excellence. She completed her PhD Research in Agronomy at The University of Tasmania (UTAS), Tasmania, Australia (2017) focusing on impacts of climate change on the potato productivity in Tasmania, Australia and Kenya.

Dinah has 17+ years of experience working in the potato industry with an in-depth understanding of production, value addition, and market linkages and agribusiness entrepreneurs, impacts of climate change, sustainable and climate smart practices. As a Scientist at International Potato Center, CIP, (2008-2012, 2016-2025) she has successfully led and implemented several potato-based projects in Kenya, Rwanda and other East and Central African countries. Fondly known as “Mama Viazi” among potato farmers in Kenya, Dinah has made a significant impact across nearly all the potato producing counties, working closely with both the public and private potato sectors.

Before joining CIP, Dinah worked at ICRAF (2005-2008) overseeing project design and implementation in several countries in Africa. She also has over a decade experience on extension programs having worked as an agricultural extension officer, Ministry of Agriculture, Kenya before joining CGIAR.

She is an Awardee of Australia Agricultural Awards for Africa (AAA, 2002, 2012) and a Fellow under USDA Borlaug Fellowship Program, Texas TTU, USA, 2022.

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Chris Gasperi: Founder & Managing Director for FreshCrop Limited, Kenya.  FreshCrop is Co-Hosting the 2026 World Potato Congress alongside NPCK.

Chris Gasperi is the Founder and Managing Director of FreshCrop Limited, a leading agtech and fully integrated potato value chain company in Kenya. Driven by a mission to transform East Africa’s potato sub-sector, Chris has pioneered an end-to-end ecosystem that spans high-quality certified seed production, large-scale commercial farming, and state-of-the-art processing for fresh-cut fries and other potato products.

Under his leadership, FreshCrop has scaled to support a network of over 15,000 smallholder farmers. Through an innovative “one-stop-shop” hub model, Chris’s team provides smallholders with critical access to certified seed, optimized inputs, mechanization, climate-smart agronomy training, and guaranteed market pull. By bridging these critical gaps, FreshCrop has enabled local farmers to drastically increase their crop yields and household incomes, shifting smallholders from subsistence farming to profitable, resilient agribusinesses. This holistic approach culminated in FreshCrop receiving the prestigious Presidential National Farmers Award for the top fully commercialized large-scale farm in Kenya.

As Co-Host of the 13th World Potato Congress (WPC 2026) in Kenya, Chris is central to driving the event’s vision of sustainable agricultural transformation. Holding an Executive Master’s degree in Administration from Wilkes University, his leadership bridges international corporate strategy with deep, on-the-ground execution. Beyond commercial impact, Chris is a dedicated conservationist leading FreshCrop’s initiative to plant one million trees, and is a past President of the Rotary Club of Nakuru. He looks forward to welcoming global delegates to FreshCrop’s primary farming and processing operations during the post-Congress tours.

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Dáire McCafferty: Project Manager, Keynote PCO (Professional Conference Services). Keynote PCO, based out of Dublin, Ireland, is a Professional Conference Organizer, best known in the potato world for their organizing of the 11th World Potato Congress held in Dublin, Ireland.

Dáire brings over 10 years of experience in association and congress management, working with a diverse portfolio of international clients and delivering events across a wide range of destinations, from Hamburg to Hyderabad. With a strong foundation in customer service, he has developed exceptional client relationship management and problem-solving skills through many years in the hospitality and events industry.

He is passionate about creating seamless on-site experiences and takes particular pride in supporting both local and international clients in delivering successful events across Ireland.

Daire holds a Master’s degree in Single Honours History from UCD, awarded in 2012, and combines his academic background with practical expertise to ensure every event is executed to the highest standard

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Register Here for the Upcoming Webinar