The 13th African Potato Association Conference is scheduled from May 25 to May 30, 2025, at Speke Resort Hotel, Munyonyo, Uganda. Experts across the potato and sweet potato value chains, including those involved with high-tech greenhouse operations, will converge to address challenges such as declining crop productivity, climate change impacts, and pest and disease management.
According to a statement by the National Agricultural Research Organisation (NARO), although Uganda annually produces 1.8 million metric tons of sweet potatoes, the crop's full potential remains untapped due to traditional variety usage, limited value addition, and declining soil quality.
The conference will discuss breeding techniques, genetic advancements, sustainable seed systems, and processing technologies to improve crop resilience and economic potential. Additional discussions will explore potato nutrition and marketing challenges.
The theme, "Fostering Climate-Smart Cropping Systems for Sustainable Potato and Sweet Potato Value Chains," captures the focus on integrating innovations to enhance production. This event is organized by NARO with the International Potato Center (CIP), Ministry of Agriculture, Animal Industry and Fisheries (MAAIF), International Fertilizer Development Center (IFDC), Makerere University, Food and Agriculture Organisation (FAO), and World Food Program (WFP).
Exhibitions by stakeholders, including public and private sectors engaged in sweet potato value addition, will feature. Among them is Divine Organics, known for processing orange-fleshed sweet potatoes into baby foods, highlighting innovative uses of these crops.
Source: NewVision
