Potatoes Are Changing the Game

Potatoes have long outgrown their role as a simple side dish. Throughout our Potatoes News coverage we have highlighted how the crop offers smallholders a safety net against price shocks and a reliable source of income. On the FAO International Day of Potato, we broaden the lens: how can one crop shore up food systems across entire regions?

Key Focuses of the Webinar

  • Economic Momentum for Rural Areas – Fresh case studies showing how a well-designed potato strategy lifts local employment and curbs youth migration.
  • Stability in Food Chains – Why potatoes top the charts for calories harvested per hectare and how that resilience cushions supply crises.
  • Innovation in Storage & Processing – Technologies that extend shelf life and capture more value right where the crop is grown.

Meet the Speakers

  • André Devaux – Agronomist with 35 + years in development research. Former Regional Director for Latin America at the International Potato Center (CIP), coordinating activities in Ecuador.
  • Bruno Vanderhofstadt – Agronomist devoted to potato projects in Africa; author of two landmark technical guides on potato cultivation for West Africa and the Democratic Republic of Congo.
  • François Serneels – Agronomist who led numerous potato-focused cooperation projects in China for CARAH; named one of the 40 most influential foreign experts since China’s opening and recipient of the national Friendship Award.

Practical Details

Date: 21 May
Time: 2:00 PM (Brussels)
Languages: English with simultaneous interpretation in French and Spanish
Free registration: Eventbrite

A unique link will be sent upon registration, plus a reminder 24 hours before we go live.

Potatoes News Analytical Lens

Recent Potatoes News reports reveal surging interest in climate-adaptation crops: articles on fast-maturing, water-efficient potato varieties consistently rank among our most-read content. Parallel to this, regional development programmes built around potatoes are expanding in East Africa and Southeast Asia. The upcoming webinar slots perfectly into this momentum, promising hands-on insights for professionals across the value chain.

Join the Conversation!

What barriers do you see in turning potatoes into a full-fledged engine of rural economic growth in your region? Share your views in the comments and keep the debate alive with our experts after the broadcast.