By Vincent Khonje
Lilongwe, Mana: Malawi will host Africa Potato Association (APA) 12th Triennial Conference which will be held in Lilongwe from June 27 to July 1 in 2022.
According to APA President, Dr Wilson Makumba, renowned scientists, up-and-coming researchers and other stakeholders are expected to attend the meeting either virtually or in person.
“The conference will provide an opportunity for scientists and other stakeholders throughout Africa and around the world to come together for networking, exchange information and ideas, and to initiate new collaborative studies on sweet potato and potato,” said Dr. Makumba.
The conference, being organised by Ministry of Agriculture & Food Security, International Potato Centre (IPC) and other partners, will be held under the theme: ‘Harnessing potato and sweet potato innovations for resilient and healthier agri-food systems.
Some of the sub-themes will be breeding and genetic innovations for increased resilience; production and nutrition; Innovative approaches for building sustainable seed systems and policies and approaches for achieving impact at scale.
The 11th Triennial Conference of the APA was held in 2019 in Kigali-Rwanda.
Currently, a lot of farmers in the country, especially in Mulanje, Zomba, Nkhata Bay and Kasungu among some districts, have embraced potato and sweet potato farming using improved varieties.
APA is a non-profit organisation that was launched in September, 1985 to promote the interests of potato and sweet potato farmers in Africa.
It was also aimed at facilitating greater inter-country collaboration and horizontal exchange of information and exchange visits by scientists and to act as a link between the International Potato Centre (CIP) and other relevant associations in the world and member countries.
