1. Papa Andina worked with partners in Bolivia, Ecuador, and Peru to develop a strategic vision for the potato sector in the Andean region. This involved analyzing comparative statistics and conducting participatory workshops with government and private sector actors. 2. The strategic vision identified priority areas for public and private action like organizing the sector, developing lobbying capacities, and improving production systems. In Ecuador, Peru, and Bolivia, partners are now using these results to support concrete initiatives. 3. Over 10 years, Papa Andina raised the profile of native potatoes through events like National Potato Days in Peru and Ecuador, a photography exhibition, and daily media coverage during the International Year of the Potato in 2008. They

1. METHODOLOGIES
TO FOSTER PRO-POOR
I N N O V A T I O N
Public awareness
and political advocacy
Bringing about positive changes for a whole agricultural sector
requires the garnering of public opinion, policy makers, and
political will. Based on policy needs evidenced in their research
activities, Papa Andina and its strategic research partners have
continuously pursued two objectives: improving the image of
native potatoes and inscribing the issue of the competitiveness of
the potato sector into the political agenda. To meet those
objectives, Papa Andina and its partners in the Andes have
successfully engaged in three strategies, which reached a pinnacle
during the UN-declared International Year of the Potato in 2008.
1. Developing a strategic vision for the potato sector in the Andean region
Papa Andina worked with research partners in Bolivia, Ecuador, and Peru to implement
a regional diagnostic of comparative statistics for the potato sector. This data provided
the basis to develop a strategic vision for the whole sector. Conducted in a participatory
way, the vision exercise involved a wide range of actors such as Ministries of Agriculture
and leading private sector companies.

2. Results
The strategic vision exercise identified priority areas requiring public and private
action for the development of the potato sector such as organizing the sector,
developing lobbying capacities, and developing technologies for improving the
efficiency and sustainability of the potato production system.
In each country, partners are now using these results to support concrete actions.
• In Ecuador, a public fund of USD 6 millions was approved by the Ministry of
Agriculture to strengthen the potato sector with a pro-poor focus. The
government declared a National Potato Day.
• In Peru, the public and private sectors have translated their commitment into
the promulgation of promotional policies and technical regulations, as well as
private investments to develop new potato-based products and processing
plants.
• Bolivia is analyzing the development of a strategic vision as a methodological
tool to support the development of the sector.
Over the past 10 years, Papa Andina and its
partners have created and promoted
awareness about native potatoes at the
regional, national and international levels,
highlighting their culinary, cultural, and
economic potential for promoting
development in rural areas of the Andean
region.
Main results include:
• Creation and celebration of a National
Potato Day in Peru and in Ecuador with the
participation of the Ministry of Agriculture,
municipalities, supermarkets and
restaurants, cooking schools, and media
coverage.
3. Policy support for the competitiveness of the potato sector
Papa Andina and its partners advocated for ministerial decrees and have
participated in normative processes that have led to the following results:
• Introduction of native potatoes in the national variety catalog and the formal
seed system in Peru
• Quality and technical norms for chuño and tunta in Bolivia and Peru.
P A P A A N D I N A
• El Sector Papa en la
Región Andina:
Diagnóstico y
Elementos para una
Visión Estratégica
(Bolivia, Ecuador y
Perú).
Centro Internacional de
la Papa. 385 p. 2010.
Devaux A. et al.
• Developing a Strategic
Vision for the Potato
Sector in the Andean
Region.
Article presented at
ISTRC Symposium, Lima,
Peru. 2009. Devaux A. et al.
• Papa, Madre. History of
a photographic
exhibition.
International Potato
Center, 151 p. 2009.
Co n t a c t
Papa Andina
cip-pandina@cgiar.org
www. p a p a n d i n a . o rg
2. Raise the visibility and profile of potatoes as a high-value product
Key
Readings
• Production of a potato photography exhibition that toured the Andean
countries in 2008.
• Near daily presence of the potato in the media during 2008.