World Potato Congress and FAO to Host Global Webinar about International Day of the Potato 2026 planning

The World Potato Congress Inc. will host a special webinar as part of its ongoing webinar series to discuss planning for the 2026 International Day of the Potato (IDP), bringing together global potato stakeholders to highlight the crop’s growing importance in food systems, sustainability, and nutrition.

The webinar is scheduled for Friday, May 15, 2026, from 14:00–15:00 CET (Brussels) / 8:00–9:00 a.m. EDT (Toronto). The event is being organized in collaboration with the Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO). 

The United Nations General Assembly officially designated May 30 as the International Day of the Potato in December 2023, recognizing the potato’s significance as a global food crop and its role in supporting livelihoods, food security, and sustainable agriculture. 

According to organizers, the webinar will provide an overview of global potato production trends while showcasing how celebrations for the International Day of the Potato are beginning to take shape around the world. Governments, potato associations, and industry stakeholders are expected to participate through social media campaigns and in-person events coordinated with support from the FAO. 

The FAO, which facilitates the global observance of the International Day of the Potato, continues to encourage countries and stakeholders to strengthen sustainable potato value chains and promote the crop’s contribution to resilient food systems.

Meet the Hosts

Makiko Taguchi

Makiko Taguchi

Makiko Taguchi serves as Agricultural Officer within the Plant Production and Protection Division of the Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO). She holds both BSc and MSc degrees in Agronomy from the Tokyo University of Agriculture and Technology.

Taguchi has more than 20 years of international experience supporting agricultural development initiatives, including integrated pest management, Farmer Field Schools, agricultural diversification, and urban food systems. She currently serves as the technical focal point for the International Day of the Potato, helping coordinate global efforts to raise awareness about the potato’s role in food security, nutrition, and sustainable agriculture.

Dr André Devaux

Dr André Devaux

Dr André Devaux is an agronomist with a PhD in Agricultural Sciences from the Catholic University of Louvain (UCLouvain), Belgium. He has more than 35 years of experience in research for development and innovation through his work with the International Potato Center and organizations including the FAO, IFAD, the European Union, and the Swiss Agency for Development. 

Devaux has extensive expertise in potato production systems, value chain development approaches, food security, innovation systems, and public-private partnerships. Throughout his career, he has collaborated with multidisciplinary teams across Latin America, East Africa, and Asia, including projects in Bolivia, Peru, Ecuador, Rwanda, Burundi, Congo, Uganda, and Pakistan. 

From 1990 to 2019, he worked extensively in the Andes region, focusing on inclusive value chain development and food and nutrition security through the use of native potato biodiversity. In 2012, he became Director of CIP’s Regional Program for Latin America, where he coordinated activities across the Andes while promoting institutional partnerships and capacity-building initiatives in Central America and the Caribbean. 

In 2019, Devaux was named Scientist Emeritus at CIP. He is currently based in Belgium, where he remains active as an independent consultant and serves on the Board of Directors of the World Potato Congress. 

The webinar aims to strengthen international collaboration ahead of the 2026 International Day of the Potato celebrations and reinforce the potato’s role in global agriculture, sustainability, and nutrition.