The International Potato Center (known as CIP from its Spanish-language name ''Centro Internacional de la Papa'') is a research facility based in

Lima Lima ( ; ), originally founded as Ciudad de Los Reyes (City of The Kings) is the capital and the largest city of Peru. It is located in the valleys of the Chillón, Rímac and Lurín Rivers, in the desert zone of the central coastal part of ...

Peru , image_flag = Flag of Peru.svg , image_coat = Escudo nacional del Perú.svg , other_symbol = Great Seal of the State , other_symbol_type = National seal , national_motto = "Firm and Happy f ...

, that seeks to reduce poverty and achieve

food security Food security speaks to the availability of food in a country (or geography) and the ability of individuals within that country (geography) to access, afford, and source adequate foodstuffs. According to the United Nations' Committee on World ...

on a sustained basis in

developing countries A developing country is a sovereign state with a lesser developed industrial base and a lower Human Development Index (HDI) relative to other countries. However, this definition is not universally agreed upon. There is also no clear agreem ...

through scientific research and related activities on

potato The potato is a starchy food, a tuber of the plant ''Solanum tuberosum'' and is a root vegetable native to the Americas. The plant is a perennial in the nightshade family Solanaceae. Wild potato species can be found from the southern Unit ...

, sweet potato, other root and

tuber Tubers are a type of enlarged structure used as storage organs for nutrients in some plants. They are used for the plant's perennation (survival of the winter or dry months), to provide energy and nutrients for regrowth during the next growin ...

crops, and on the improved management of natural resources in the

Andes The Andes, Andes Mountains or Andean Mountains (; ) are the longest continental mountain range in the world, forming a continuous highland along the western edge of South America. The range is long, wide (widest between 18°S – 20°S ...

and other mountain areas. It was established in 1971 by decree of the Peruvian government.

American Society for Horticultural Science Founded in 1903, the American Society for Horticultural Science in Alexandria, Virginia is "the largest, most visible organization dedicated to advancing all facets of horticultural research, education, and application." The ASHS's purpose is to pr ...

br>Origin of the International Potato Center.
/ref> CIP is one of the 15 specialized research centers of the

Consultative Group on International Agricultural Research CGIAR (formerly the Consultative Group for International Agricultural Research) is a global partnership that unites international organizations engaged in research about food security. CGIAR research aims to reduce rural poverty, increase food ...

, an international consortium of agricultural research organizations, having joined in 1972. In late 2015, they partnered with

NASA The National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA ) is an independent agencies of the United States government, independent agency of the US federal government responsible for the civil List of government space agencies, space program ...

to attempt to grow potatoes in a simulated

Martian Mars, the fourth planet from the Sun, has appeared as a setting in works of fiction since at least the mid-1600s. It became the most popular celestial object in fiction in the late 1800s as the Moon was evidently lifeless. At the time, the pr ...

environment. In March 2017, they announced that preliminary indications are positive.

CIP - Georgia

In 2015, CIP began a 3-year project to "Enhance the rural livelihood of

Georgia Georgia most commonly refers to: * Georgia (country), a country in the Caucasus region of Eurasia * Georgia (U.S. state), a state in the Southeast United States Georgia may also refer to: Places Historical states and entities * Related to the ...

", for which in 2017 the

Republic of Austria Austria, , bar, Östareich officially the Republic of Austria, is a country in the southern part of Central Europe, lying in the Eastern Alps. It is a federation of nine states, one of which is the capital, Vienna, the most populous ci ...

provided funding, delegated to the Austrian Development Agency, which was extended an additional three years. The project's goal is to "improve the livelihoods of Georgian farmers by increasing profitability and sustainability of their potato crops and to increase capacity of national players in the potato seed value chain."

Directors

CelebrateBecA Jan Low and Segenet Kelemu

* Richard L. Sawyer - founding Director 1971–1991 * Hubert Zandstra - 1991–2004 * Pamela K. Anderson - 2004–2013 * Barbara Wells - 2014

References

External links

Official website
International research institutes Research institutes in Peru Agricultural research institutes Potato organizations Organisations based in Lima Agriculture in Peru Vegetable research institutes {{agriculture-org-stub