World Potato Congress Launches Global Potato Thematic Working Groups to Strengthen Collaboration

For over three decades, starting in the early 1990’s, the World Potato Congress Inc. has made its way around the globe, providing an avenue for networking and educational opportunities focused on all thing’s potato. Over the years, momentum and attendance have been building around the side meetings and informal discussions held at the, now biennial, Congress event. While not advertised as official congress meetings, during the Adelaide, Australia Congress in 2024, global networking group organizers who had booked meeting rooms, quickly saw these rooms fill, with extra chairs brought in as interest grew.

Peter VanderZaag, WPC President:

"We left Australia with the request from many of our partners to keep the momentum going, tasking us to look for a way to formalize these networking structures. Strategic planning by the WPC Inc. Directors and International Advisors in 2025, under the guidance of WPC Executive Director, Ellen Kouwenberg, has helped develop this further."

Emerging from this comes the official launch of Global Potato Thematic Working Groups, designed to create a more formalized platform for ongoing collaboration during and between Congresses, deepening WPC’s impact in mission-aligned areas, and connecting stakeholders around shared priorities.
 

Global Potato Thematic Working Groups launch

At the 2026 Kenya Congress, a full day of additional meetings are now planned to advance these topics, These groups include International Potato Research Collaborative Framework (IPRCF), Potato Aeroponics Network, Apical Rooted Cuttings Network, International Marketing Group and Global Potato Sustainability. Registration for these meetings can be found within the Congress registration process.

Beginning at the Congress in October, these groups will be formalized with an opportunity for membership and participation via a SharePoint platform allowing opportunity for global collaboration on education, information sharing and project work on an on-going basis. Leading the charge in these formalized groups will be some familiar and well respected voices in the global potato world. 
 

International Marketing Group

Georgia Thomas, Greg Donald, and Blair Richardson will lead the International Potato Marketing Group workshop at the World Potato Congress 2026 in Kenya

The International Marketing Group Workshop will be led by Georgia Thomas from Western Australia Potatoes, Blair Richardson, WPC Inc. Director and CEO Potatoes USA and Greg Donald, VP of WPC Inc. and GM of the PEI Potato Board, Canada. A familiar meeting to past Congress attendees engaged in this field, the International Marketing Group will focus on collaboration strategies to promote potato consumption globally and continue to elevate and enhance the image of potatoes as a healthy and versatile food source.

Participation is open to all with a shared passion for the potato industry. Together, we’ll explore opportunities to elevate the position of potatoes for the future through knowledge exchange, research insights, and collaboration.

• Knowledge Sharing: Discuss trends, challenges, and opportunities shaping global potato demand and proven strategies that inspire growth.
• Research Insights: Learn about the latest potato nutrition studies and global trends.
• Global Campaign Collaboration: Partner on international efforts – such as the International Day of Potato – to amplify visibility and impact.
• Resource Exchange: Find out about plans to access and contribute to shared marketing tools, creative assets, and educational resources.
• Sustainability Leadership: Promote responsible practices and communicate potatoes’ role in a resilient food system.
• The conversation will continue well beyond the World Potato Congress in Kenya, with plans underway for virtual meetings and ongoing collaboration.

Whether you represent an established market or an emerging one, the International Potato Marketing Group offers a global platform to exchange ideas, build partnerships, and champion potatoes as a universally loved and nutritious food. Join us in shaping the future of potato marketing—together, we can grow the world’s appetite for potatoes. 
 

Rooted Apical Cuttings (RAC) and research collaboration

 Monica Parker, Dinah J. Borus, Derek Roulston, and Julio Kalazich are leading the Rooted Apical Cuttings (RAC) working group

Rooted Apical Cuttings (RAC) represent an efficient and significant method for producing early-generation seed potatoes in many countries across Africa and Asia. This network will bring together specialists to share best practices, troubleshoot challenges, and promote the wider application of this valuable technique. We are excited to have this workshop led by Monica Parker and Dinah J. Borus, WPC Inc. International Advisor, who have both worked as Senior Scientists for the International Potato Center (CIP), Also Co-Chairing this group are Julio Kalazich, WPC Inc. Director and professor at the Agronomy School of Universidad de Los Lagos in Osorno, southern Chile and Derek Roulston, WPC Inc. International Advisor from Ireland, who has collaborated on projects with CIP and VITA in developing the seed potato industry in Kenya.

RAC has been featured in numerous presentations - both verbal and poster - at recent World Potato Congress events. However, there are still many questions surrounding RAC: its mechanisms, how the technology can be improved, and the influences of genetics, daylength, temperature, and source of planting material, among others.

Monday, October 25, 2026, will bring the key global players on this topic together to discuss the issues that are of common interest and concern in apical cuttings systems.

International Potato Research Collaborative Framework

Nigel Crump, Silke Steinmöller, and Alison Lees co-lead the International Potato Research Collaborative Framework (IPRCF)

The International Potato Research Collaborative Framework (IPRCF) is co-led led by Dr Nigel Crump, WPC Inc. Board Secretary and General Manager and Principal Plant Pathologist, Australian Seed Potato Industry Certification Authority (AuSPICA); Silke Steinmöller, Senior Scientist, Julius Kühn-Institut (JKI), Federal Research Centre for Cultivated Plants, Germany and Alison Lees, Senior Potato Pathologist, Head of the Dept of Cell & Molecular Sciences, The James Hutton Institute, Dundee, Scotland.

The International Potato Research Collaborative Framework (IPRCF) is a partnership initiated by leading potato research countries in response to evolving global challenges—especially those related to the UN Sustainable Development Goals and the Paris Agreement on climate change. The framework provides a formal structure for international collaboration, aiming to increase research productivity, address production constraints, and promote sustainable practices. The partnership recognizes the urgent need for joint action to improve food security, environmental sustainability, and resilience in the face of climate variability, resource constraints, and biosecurity threats.

This group, along with the others, will convene together both on-line and in person at every WPC Congress (next in Kenya, 2026), bringing together key researchers and stakeholders to discuss collaborative opportunities, challenges, and successes. To address the following key issues but not limited to:

• Collation and Alignment of National Research Priorities: Share and compare research goals to identify common challenges and opportunities for joint action.
• Collaborative Research Programs: Develop and implement transnational research projects, including student and postdoctoral exchanges, to accelerate innovation and avoid duplication.
• Sustainability and Biosecurity: Establish a global network for sharing biosecurity information (e.g., on emerging pests/diseases), and align on best practices for soil health, crop protection, and sustainable production.
• Scientific Exchange and Capacity Building: Foster scientific exchange, knowledge transfer, and capacity building through joint workshops, webinars, and digital platforms.

The Aeroponics Workshop will be led by Santosh Tiwari, WPC International Advsior and Senior Principal Scientist. PepsiCo Inc., Andre La Chance of Maxi-Plant Inc. and WPC Inc. President Peter VanderZaag. Aeroponics, another effective method of producing early-generation seed potatoes, has been featured in numerous presentations—both verbal and poster—at recent World Potato Congress events and this workshop will provide an opportunity to dig deeper into this topic.

Potato Aeroponics Network

Andre La Chance, Santosh Tiwari, and Peter VanderZaag will lead the Aeroponics workshop at the World Potato Congress 2026

The Aeroponics Workshop will be led by Santosh Tiwari, WPC International Advsior and Senior Principal Scientist. PepsiCo Inc., Andre La Chance of Maxi-Plant Inc. and WPC Inc. President Peter VanderZaag. Aeroponics, another effective method of producing early-generation seed potatoes, has been featured in numerous presentations—both verbal and poster—at recent World Potato Congress events and this workshop will provide an opportunity to dig deeper into this topic.

Global Potato Sustainability

John Mesko and Chad Hutchinson will co-chair the Global Potato Sustainability sessions at the World Potato Congress 2026

As a staple crop with significant nutritional value, potatoes play a vital role in global food security. Yet, it also faces challenges related to climate change, soil health, and water management. Additionally, global food brands and consumers are interested in potato production practices and their impacts on the environment, farmer livelihoods, and rural communities. By fostering a worldwide conversation, we can share knowledge and strategies to address these issues effectively.

The North American Potato Sustainability Alliance (PSA), under the leadership John Mesko, CEO plays a key role by helping growers meet sustainability benchmarks through data collection, reporting, and industry-wide collaboration. PSA brings together the entire potato ecosystem-from growers to processors—to advance resilient and efficient production practices. At the upcoming Congress in Kenya John Mesko and Chad Hutchinson, WPC Director and Global Director of Potato Research and Market Support, TriCal Group will be co-chairing this workshop, speaker sessions and a panel discussion.

A global dialogue is essential because the challenges and solutions related to potato sustainability vary significantly across regions. Different climates, soils, and cultural practices mean that a one-size-fits-all approach won’t work. By collaborating on a global scale, we can tailor sustainable practices to fit local contexts, ensuring they are both practical and impactful. This collaboration can lead to innovative solutions that might not emerge within isolated efforts.

Engaging in a global conversation allows us to harness the power of collective action. By bringing together diverse perspectives and expertise, WPC can accelerate the pace of innovation and implementation of sustainable practices. This unified approach not only strengthens the potato sector but also sets a precedent for other crops and industries to follow suit on the path to sustainability.

Purpose and actionables:

• Open the door for global and regional networking, via the in-person workshop session at the World Potato Congress in Kenya in 2026.
• Connect with agricultural experts to understand regional challenges and solutions.
• Join international discussions to share insights and learn from others.
• Learn about initiatives in other regions and prepare to be a thought leader in your region going forward.
• Share global sustainability challenges and practices to fit local agricultural and cultural contexts.