International Potato Center
| Centro Internacional de la Papa | |
 | |
| Established | 1971 |
|---|---|
| Type | Research center |
| Location | |
| Coordinates | 12°04′37″S 76°56′46″W / 12.07694°S 76.94611°WCoordinates: 12°04′37″S 76°56′46″W / 12.07694°S 76.94611°W |
| Mission | Our mission is to work with partners to achieve food security, well-being, and gender equity for poor people in root and tuber farming and food systems in the developing world. We do this through research and innovation in science, technology, and capacity strengthening.[1] |
| Website | cipotato.org |
The International Potato Center (known as CIP from its Spanish-language name Centro Internacional de la Papa) is a research facility based in Lima, Peru, that seeks to reduce poverty and achieve food security on a sustained basis in developing countries through scientific research and related activities on potato, sweet potato, other root and tuber crops, and on the improved management of natural resources in the Andes and other mountain areas.[1] It was established in 1971 by decree of the Peruvian government.[2]
CIP is one of the 15 specialised research centres of the Consultative Group on International Agricultural Research (CGIAR), an international consortium of agricultural research organizations, having joined in 1972.[2]
In late 2015, they partnered with NASA to attempt to grow potatoes in a simulated Martian environment.[3]
References
- 1 2 "Vision, Mission, Values". cipotato.org. International Potato Center. Retrieved 13 May 2015.
- 1 2 American Society for Horticultural Science.Origin of the International Potato Center.
- ↑ Puiu, Tibi (December 22, 2015). "NASA wants to grow potatoes on the red planet. Just like Mark Watney from 'The Martian'". ZME Science. Retrieved 2015-12-23.
They’ll use soil from Pampas de La Joya Desert in Peru (very similar to that found on Mars) and replicate atmospheric conditions on Mars, which is comprised of 95% carbon dioxide.