Branston returns to Peru

05 October 2009

Almost a year to the day that Branston made a £9,000 donation to the Peruvian Potato Park, the man who spearheaded the gesture returned to the Andes to see what had been achieved in preserving some of the world’s rarest varieties.

2008 was specified by the United Nations as the International Year of the Potato and Branston supported it wholeheartedly by helping fund the development of special facilities to help safeguard varieties on the verge of extinction.

Over several decades, the effects of climate change, war and the outbreak of aggressive viruses severely impacted on the Andean communities’ ability to grow potatoes. With 2008 being such a special year for the potato and the fact that the vegetable originates from Peru, Branston’s Field Director, Dr David Nelson felt compelled to act.

He and his colleagues at Branston decided to support the communities of the Potato Park high in the Andes. The company’s donation would allow screen-houses to be constructed, in which cuttings of rare but healthy potatoes could be taken and then the process of growing new, healthy crops could begin.

Last month David was invited back to the Potato Park, so that he could see the new facilities and officially open them.

“It was an amazing experience and very humbling,” explains David. “So much has happened since this time last year. Using local labour and locally sourced materials they’ve been able to construct the laboratory-type conditions needed to nurture the virus-free plantlets that are provided by the International Potato Centre. Each of the villages in the Potato Park now has its own screen-house where they can take cuttings and grow on the plantlets which will eventually create clean plants that can be distributed throughout the communities. It is great to think that Branston has been able to play a part in safeguarding some of the world’s oldest types of potato and prevented these ravaged varieties from becoming extinct.

“However, the real work is being undertaken by the scientists at the International Potato Centre, who are receiving and cleaning tubers and then propagating them in peat blocks until they’re able to transfer them to pots. It’s a painstaking process but once complete, the screen-houses that Branston has funded provide the perfect conditions for growing and multiplying the clean varieties.”

One of the highlights of David’s return to Peru was being guest of honour at the opening ceremony. David took part in a local custom - offering coca leaves to the crowd, followed by a traditional blessing, in which Pachamama (mother earth) was thanked. 

“It’s fantastic to see the way that the communities are working together and are being supported by the International Potato Centre and the Andes organisation. These people have been growing potatoes for thousands of years, working in harmony with nature in the harsh conditions of the Andes. It has become increasingly difficult recently and has been exacerbated by climate change, so it is vital that we lend our support to help them preserve the genetic diversity of their native varieties,” continues David.

With the screen-houses erected and work to propagate the endangered potato varieties well under way, attention has turned to training local potato farmers. Advisers from the International Potato Centre are working with growers to minimise the chances of damaging viruses developing again.

“The Andean communities are facing a number of issues. Climate change is having a major impact on growing conditions. As the environment becomes warmer, snow cover on local mountain peaks has declined and has now almost disappeared. This has implications on water supply from snow melt which previously fed rivers during the dry season,” says David. “In addition, the climatic zone to which traditional potato varieties are adapted has risen from an elevation of 3,600–4,100m to 3,800-4,300m. This means less good land is available and it is more difficult to work. At lower elevations, pests and diseases can significantly reduce crop output so new, resistant varieties are required to enable potato production in this zone.

“Having said this, with our donation and the new screen-houses plus the work of the International Potato Centre, we believe that harvests should grow by around a third this year, so things are certainly looking up.”