International Potato Centre Latest News
Recently, the Union Cabinet has approved a proposal from the Department of Agriculture & Farmers Welfare to establish the International Potato Centre (CIP)’s South Asia Regional Centre (CSARC) at Agra, Uttar Pradesh.
About International Potato Centre
- It was founded in 1971 as a research-for-development organization with a focus on potato, sweetpotato and Andean roots and tubers.
- It delivers innovative science-based solutions to enhance access to affordable nutritious food, foster inclusive sustainable business and employment growth, and drive the climate resilience of root and tuber agri-food systems.
- CIP is a CGIAR research center, a global research partnership for a food-secure future. CGIAR science is dedicated to transforming food, land and water systems in a climate crisis.
- Its research is carried out by 13 CGIAR Centers/Alliances in close collaboration with hundreds of partners, including national and regional research institutes, civil society organizations, academia, development organizations and the private sector.Â
- Headquarter: It is in Lima, Peru and it has a research presence in more than 20 countries in Africa, Asia and Latin America.
Potato Production in India
- India is the world’s second top producer and consumer of potato
- Major potato growing states: Uttar Pradesh, West Bengal, Bihar, Gujarat, Madhya Pradesh and Punjab.
- As of now, at least two different centres of Indian Council of Agricultural Research (ICAR) work on tuber crops.
- While the Shimla-based ICAR-CPRI (Central Potato Research Institute) is working on potato, the Thiruvananthapuram-based ICAR-CTCRI (Central Tuber Crops Research Institute is working on sweetpotato.
Source: PIB
International Potato Centre
Q1: Where is the International Potato Center?
Ans: Lima, Peru
Q2: What is the International Potato Center needed for?
Ans: It is for achieving food security, well-being, and gender equity for poor people in root and tuber farming systems in the developing world.
