Oscar Ortiz

Improving Potato Production in Kenya, Uganda and Ethiopia: A System Diagnosis

Increased productivity of potatoes can improve the livelihood of smallholder potato farmers in Kenya, Uganda and Ethiopia and is required to meet the growing demand. This paper investigates the opportunities for potato system improvement that could result in improved productivity. Through a diagnosis of the potato systems in the three countries on the basis of surveys and stakeholder workshops, seed potato quality management, bacterial wilt control, late blight control and soil fertility management were identified as key technical intervention topics. For effective problem solving in these areas, the functioning of the potato innovation system requires improvement to better deliver the functions of potato marketing as well as knowledge development and information exchange. With use of a ‘system failure framework’ the shortcomings of the potato innovation system are identified and discussed and options for improvement are suggested.

Working with Resource-Poor Farmers to Manage Plant Diseases

Farmers in developing countries have substantial difficulty in managing plant diseases (4). Poor farmers’ understanding of disease processes is limited, and their disease management is often ineffective (21). This is, in part, because they cannot see the organisms that cause plant disease. They often lack access to information and technology that could help them raise healthy crops. Here we present and compare experiences in working with farmers to manage rice blast and potato late blight. In these cases, farmer groups learned about disease processes and management techniques, and tested promising crop varieties and breeding lines with the support of extension and research organizations.

Potatoes for Sustainable Global Food Security

Potato is the third most important food crop in terms of global consumption, and it has been highly recommended by the Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations as a food security crop as the world faces a growing population and related problems with food supply. This paper presents data on global potato production, consumption, malnutrition, and hunger; information which helps pinpoint where the resource-poor and hungry live and how the potato and international agricultural research could help improve food security and livelihoods in developing countries. The International Potato Center has used such a targeting exercise to focus its research for development and develop its new strategic plan, in which five out of the six objectives are related to potato.

Review of Potato Biotic Constraints and Experiences with Integrated Pest Management Interventions

Potato (Solanum spp.) ranks third in importance as a single food crop worldwide. Late blight, caused by Phytophthora infestans, is considered to be the most important single biotic constraint of potato, but degeneration of vegetative planting material, caused primarily by a complex of viruses, potentially causes even greater yield losses. Arthropod pests are also important, with the primary problems on a global scale being the potato tuber moth complex (Phthorimaea operculella, Symmetrischema tangolias and Tecia solanivora), leaf miner fly (Liriomyza huidobrenis), Colorado potato beetle (Leptinotarsa decemlineata), and Andean potato weevil (Premnotrypes spp.). Potato is one of the most pesticide-demanding agricultural crops and health risks related to pesticide use in potato production are high, especially in developing countries where protective clothing is generally not used. Experiences with potato integrated pest management (IPM) interventions have been multiple, but some of the most promising for disease management involve efforts to integrate the use of resistant cultivars, fungicides (for late blight) and capacity building of farmers. Interventions for arthropod pests rely less on host resistance and focus more on sustaining biodiversity and habitat management, as well as technological innovations to improve on-farm management, for example, cultural management practices and biological control. It is concluded that farmer capacity building is one of the most important elements needed to improve potato IPM in developing countries and that farmer acceptance of new technologies is best achieved through their understanding of the economic, ecological and practical benefits of the new technologies.

The Historical, Social, and Economic Importance of the Potato Crop

The potato has a fascinating history, from its origin and domestication in the Andean Region, where it was essential for feeding a growing population, for example, the Inca Empire, to its introduction into farming and food systems in Europe and elsewhere in the world. This crop has been the key factor in terms of food security, nutrition, population growth and urbanization in many regions. In recent decades, the potato has become a dominant crop in countries such as China and India, and its cropping area and production have increased more than those of any other food crop in Africa. Besides the social and economic importance of potato, extensively discussed in several published articles and briefly mentioned in this chapter, we discuss two relevant issues that are intimately related to potato genomics and breeding and which make potato a crop that has a lot to offer for the future. Those issues are the potato’s contribution to food and nutrition security, and the cultural and genetic importance of biodiversity conservation in the Andes; these issues are strongly related to gender, since women in traditional societies have contributed—and still contribute—to an enormous wealth of knowledge in relation to biodiversity conservation and utilization. The adaptability shown by the potato crop over thousands of years indicates the potential role of the potato as a climate-smart crop, particularly based on its short vegetative period, water utilization efficiency, and productive capacity per unit of input.