EUROPLANT supports AGUAPAN to Preserve Potato Biodiversity and Support Climate-Resilient Breeding

In mid-August, around 250 invited guests celebrated four important events for the EUROPLANT Group: 125 years of Kartoffelzucht Böhm, 50 years of Nordkartoffel Zuchtgesellschaft, the inauguration of the EUROPLANT Biotechnikum and the retirement of long-standing breeding manager Dr Hans-Reinhard Hofferbert. 

As part of the celebrations, guests were asked to donate to a very special organisation instead of bringing gifts: AGUAPAN is a local initiative uniting well over a hundred farmer communities from the Peruvian Andes that have been dedicated to preserving the genetic diversity of potatoes since 2015.

Genetic diversity as foundation for the future

Local farming families, who act as ‘guardians’ of hundreds of traditional varieties, are not only preserving an important cultural heritage, but also securing a central basis for future food security. The old varieties contain valuable characteristics that are indispensable in the breeding of new varieties to combat challenges such as climate change, disease and nutrient deficiencies. 

By documenting, preserving and developing this diversity, AGUAPAN makes a decisive contribution to the protection of biodiversity and sustainable agriculture worldwide. The International Potato Centre (CIP) monitors the conservation status of the traditional varieties and when requested by the farmers also conserves safety duplicates in its gene bank, thus ensuring their preservation.

Dr. Justus Böhm, Managing Director of EUROPLANT:

"We rely on old varieties for breeding. They contain important genetic traits that help us breed more efficient, more tolerant varieties that are capable of meeting the challenges of the future."

Donation amount doubled

The guests at the event donated around 10,000 euros (USD 11,846) and EUROPLANT itself donated the same amount.

Dr. Justus Böhm:

"We are delighted to be able to contribute to the important work of AGUAPAN with this donation."

Aurea Eulalia Mendoza Capcha, President of AGUAPAN (custodian farmer association):

"This valuable donation will allow us to support the highland families who sustain the ongoing evolution of the potato through investment in their wellbeing. Every year each member of AGUAPAN receives a financial retribution in recognition of their effort to conserve 50 to 300 local varieties per household."

"The resources will be used for health care, education, agricultural inputs and for strengthening the leadership capacity within the association. We sincerely thank EUROPLANT for recognizing the connection between conservation of the potato in the Andes and the sustainability of breeding in Europe. We also wish to congratulate the company on its 125th anniversary."