World Potato Congress Inc (WPC) has appointed Potato Council (AHDB) to stage the event in Great Britain in what is being described as one of the world’s most vibrant potato research, breeding, growing and commercial environments. The aim is to bring the world’s potato specialists together to create a forum conducive to the sharing of information on all aspects of the potato industry.
The triennial World Potato Congress, staged last in New Zealand, will be a forum for the exchange of international information. According to Allan Parker, president of WPC Inc, attending WPC 2012 will inspire and enable delegates to achieve success, playing their part locally in a thriving global potato industry.
Allan Stevenson, chairman of Potato Council and a substantial potato grower in his own right, says that WPC 2012, taking place in Edinburgh, May 27-30, will be a global knowledge exchange enabling those with technical or commercial interests to meet others from around the world to improve their potato enterprise performance. The potato is an extremely important crop and has a significant part to play in nutrition and in food security.“Involvement in WPC 2012 will enable the industry’s competitiveness to be improved. The active involvement of growers, potato industry stakeholders and representatives of research and development facilities will allow exploitation of international opportunities. I can see the potential to initiate and broker research projects through contact with scientific and technical communities. And just as importantly, through the extensive programme of keynote presentations, practical workshops and industry tours, delegates will leave with new ideas and strategies to benefit their businesses in the short term.”
Prof Ian Crute, chief scientist at AHDB, says: “Members of the scientific community attending WPC 2012 will exchange vital knowledge with peers and commercial organisations to enable short-term potato sector gain as well as to secure the potato supply to help feed the world’s three billion extra mouths by 2050.”Mr Stevenson says how pleased he is that the UK government’s chief scientific adviser, Prof Sir John Beddington, has agreed to speak at WPC 2012.
“Professor Beddington will examine the global challenges of food security in the coming decades and how policymakers can influence more sustainable intensification of agriculture with crops like the potato. He will discuss the recommendations of the UK Government Office for Science Global Food and Farming Futures report and how, one year on, this has been taken forward globally.
“Furthermore, the commitment this week by Bayer CropScience to become our Diamond sponsor is an indication of the importance of WPC 2012 to the potato industry. We’re delighted to have the opportunity to work with such a major contributor to the protection of crops worldwide,” concluded Mr Stevenson.
Partner fees range from £286, including VAT, with what the organisers claim are very reasonable charges for social activities ranging from a golf tournament, to a whisky distillery visit and a banquet in the State Dining Room on Royal Yacht Britannia.
Full details are available on the website and organisers stress that booking early is the key to getting a choice of industry interaction tour.
