New Potato Variety Offers a Lifeline to Farmers Battling Blight

 The same disease that caused the Irish Potato Famine nearly two centuries ago still devastates potato crops worldwide, inflicting up to USD 10 billion in annual losses. Now, climate change is driving the disease higher into the Andes and threatening the livelihoods of smallholder farmers who grow one of the world’s most important staple foods. However, ahead of the COP30 UN Climate Change Conference in Brazil, a new disease-resistant potato variety highlights the innovation farmers need to thrive in a changing climate. 
 
Developed by scientists from the International Potato Center (CIP) with the participation of Indigenous communities, the new potato variety, called CIP-Asiryq, resists the disease that struck Ireland, late blight. It requires fewer fungicide sprays, cooks 25% faster than Peru’s popular Yungay variety, and shows strong potential for both table and processing markets.

“Late blight costs billions of dollars every year in lost production,” said Dr. Stefan Schmitz, executive director of the Crop Trust. “The new resistant variety gives potato farmers an option that can reduce losses, cut costs and strengthen food security in Peru and around the world. It’s good news for everyone who likes potatoes.” (Press release)