International Potato Center (CIP) – CGIAR

Founded in 1971, the International Potato Center (Centro Internacional de la Papa - CIP) is a global research-for-development organization focused on potato, sweetpotato, and Andean roots and tubers. Headquartered in Lima, Peru, CIP operates as one of the 13 research centers of CGIAR, a global partnership dedicated to transforming food, land, and water systems in the face of the climate crisis. CIP delivers science-based solutions to enhance food security, improve nutrition, stimulate inclusive rural economic growth, and strengthen climate resilience across more than 20 countries in Africa, Asia, and Latin America.

Strategic Framework

| Component | Definition & Objectives | | --- | --- | | Vision | Root and tuber crops driving sustainable agrifood system transformation in the Global South. | | Mission | To increase and share the benefits of root and tuber crops and their agrifood systems through equitable partnerships and science-based innovations to address the climate, nutrition, and poverty challenges of the future. | | Global Affiliation | Member of CGIAR (Consultative Group on International Agricultural Research). | | Headquarters | Lima, Peru (with operational and research presence in 20+ countries). |

Core Values

• Excellence: Upholding rigorous scientific quality and high professional performance across all research programs.
• Dignity and Respect: Treating all stakeholders, research partners, and communities with equity and honor.
• Empowerment: Equipping local communities, smallholder farmers, and national partners with actionable tools and expertise.
• Integrity: Adhering to transparency, scientific ethics, and accountable stewardship of institutional resources.
• Workforce Diversity: Cultivating an inclusive international organizational culture drawing from varied backgrounds and perspectives.
• Innovation and Creativity: Advancing innovative research and technological solutions to tackle global food security challenges.
• Partnerships: Working collaboratively with national agricultural research systems, academia, civil society, and the private sector.

Key Research & Development Focus Areas

• Nutritional Security & Biofortification: Breeding and distributing nutrient-dense crop varieties (such as orange-fleshed sweetpotato) to combat micronutrient deficiencies and malnutrition.
• Climate-Resilient Agriculture: Developing drought-, heat-, and pest-tolerant varieties of potato and root crops to safeguard yields against climate variability.
• Sustainable Agri-Food Value Chains: Fostering inclusive agribusiness opportunities, seed systems, and post-harvest market linkages to generate employment and income for smallholders.
• Germplasm Conservation & Biodiversity: Preserving the genetic diversity of Andean root and tuber crops to protect agricultural biodiversity for future global food systems.