A report by Potatoes Without Borders
August 2023
The Changing Agricultural Landscape
The global agricultural landscape is undergoing significant changes, driven by a combination of factors such as climate change, population growth, and shifting dietary preferences. Among the myriad challenges that farmers face, water scarcity stands out as one of the most pressing. As the world’s population continues to grow, the demand for food increases, putting additional strain on already limited water resources. In this context, the cultivation of staple crops that require less water, yet produce acceptable yields, becomes paramount.
The Water Crisis: Unraveling the Complexity
Water scarcity, driven by a combination of climatic changes, over-extraction, and increasing demand from a growing global population, is one of the most pressing challenges of our time. Agriculture, being the largest consumer of freshwater, is at the frontline of this crisis. As rainfall patterns become more erratic and traditional water sources deplete, there is an urgent need to re-evaluate and innovate our agricultural practices. This is where the quest for drought-resistant crops, especially staples like potatoes, becomes paramount.
Global Response to the Challenge
The global scientific and agricultural communities have recognized this impending challenge. As a result, there has been a surge in research and initiatives aimed at breeding potato varieties that not only withstand periods of drought but also thrive with minimal water input. These endeavors are not just about ensuring yield; they are about guaranteeing quality, ensuring that the potatoes produced are nutritious and fit for consumption.
The Socio-Economic Impact
For many smallholder farmers, especially in developing nations, potatoes are not just a source of food; they are a means of livelihood. Drought-resistant varieties have the potential to safeguard incomes, stabilize local economies, and even open up new agricultural regions previously deemed unsuitable for potato cultivation.
A Global Overview of Drought-Resistant Potato Breeding
This report provides examples of various potato breeding projects from around the world that focus on developing drought-resistant varieties and those that require minimal water for optimal yield. From renowned institutions like the International Centre for Agricultural Research in the Dry Areas (ICARDA) to regional initiatives in Europe, Asia, and the Americas, the global scientific community is making concerted efforts to address the challenges posed by water scarcity.
These projects employ a range of techniques, from traditional breeding methods to cutting-edge genetic engineering, all with the aim of ensuring food security in an increasingly water-scarce world.
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Breeding programs with a focus on developing drought tolerant potato varieties
Understanding the centrality of the potato to global food security, a plethora of research institutions, academic bodies, and international organizations have risen to the challenge. Their mission is singular yet monumental: to develop potato varieties that can withstand the harshest of drought conditions without compromising on yield or quality. These breeding programs, while diverse in their methodologies and geographic focus, share a common thread of innovation, resilience, and a deep commitment to sustainable agriculture.
By harnessing the power of science, technology, and traditional agricultural wisdom, these programs are crafting a blueprint for the future of farming. From the arid plains of Africa to the research labs of Europe, these initiatives showcase the indomitable spirit of human innovation and our collective resolve to ensure a food-secure future.
Below we provide a basic overview of these projects. By understanding these initiatives, stakeholders can gain insights into the future of potato farming and the innovations that will shape it in the face of global climate challenges.
Global Initiatives in Breeding Potato Varieties with Drought Resistance Traits
- Drought Tolerant Potato Breeding (ICARDA)
Description: The International Centre for Agricultural Research in the Dry Areas (ICARDA) is a pivotal institution that focuses on improving agricultural practices in arid regions. Their potato breeding program is a testament to their commitment to sustainability. By targeting the development of potato varieties with enhanced water-use efficiency, ICARDA aims to provide farmers in dry regions with crops that can produce substantial yields even under water-limited conditions. This not only ensures food security but also promotes sustainable agricultural practices in challenging environments. - WU-Potato (Wageningen University & Research)
Description: Wageningen University & Research, based in the Netherlands, is a world leader in agricultural and environmental research. Their WU-Potato project embodies their innovative approach to addressing global challenges. By developing potato varieties that require significantly less water during their growth phase, the project aims to provide farmers with crops that are resilient to drought conditions, ensuring consistent yields and promoting sustainable farming practices. - The SuPER-Potato Project (CIP)
Description: The International Potato Center (CIP) has a rich history of potato research. Their SuPER-Potato Project is a groundbreaking initiative that seeks to develop potato varieties capable of thriving under unpredictable rainfall conditions. By doing so, CIP aims to support farmers in regions where erratic weather patterns threaten traditional farming, ensuring food security and promoting resilience in the face of climate change. - OLACE (EU)
Description: The European Union’s SOLACE project is a comprehensive initiative that encompasses a wide range of crops, including potatoes. Recognizing the challenges posed by climate change, the project aims to develop crops that can withstand erratic rainfall patterns. This initiative is a testament to the EU’s proactive approach to addressing the impacts of climate change on agriculture, ensuring that farmers across member states have access to resilient crops. - CGIAR Research Program on Roots, Tubers and Bananas
Description: CGIAR, a global research partnership, is at the forefront of developing innovative agricultural solutions. Their program on Roots, Tubers, and Bananas is a strategic initiative that focuses on enhancing the resilience of these staple crops against challenges like drought. By developing drought-resistant varieties, CGIAR aims to support smallholder farmers, ensuring they can achieve consistent yields even under challenging rainfall patterns. - AdaptNET Project (Spanish National Research Council)
Description: The Spanish National Research Council’s AdaptNET Project is a visionary initiative that recognizes the importance of genetic diversity in enhancing crop resilience. By developing potato varieties that can adapt to diverse climatic conditions, especially areas with low rainfall, the project aims to provide farmers with crops that are not only high-yielding but also resilient to environmental challenges. - Future Farming Systems Research Division, DJPR, Australia
Description: Australia, with its diverse climatic zones, faces unique agricultural challenges. The Future Farming Systems Research Division of DJPR is dedicated to addressing these challenges by developing innovative farming solutions. Their research on potato varieties that can cope with water stress is particularly noteworthy, ensuring that farmers can achieve optimal yields even in regions with reduced rainfall. - Water Efficient Potato Project, Potatoes South Australia
Description: Australia’s challenging climate necessitates innovative agricultural solutions. The Water Efficient Potato Project is a targeted initiative that focuses on breeding potato varieties capable of producing high yields with minimal watering. Given the diverse climatic conditions in Australia, such research is crucial for ensuring the sustainability of potato cultivation in the region. - Drought Tolerance, Genetic Engineering, Michigan State University
Description: Michigan State University is renowned for its cutting-edge research. Their focus on understanding the genetic basis of drought tolerance in potatoes is particularly noteworthy. By dissecting the underlying genetics, the university aims to engineer superior potato varieties that are not only drought-resistant but also high-yielding, ensuring food security and promoting sustainable farming practices. - Improving Potato Production for Increased Food Security of Indigenous Communities in Asia (IPAF)
Description: The IPAF project is a collaborative effort that targets regions in China, India, and the Philippines. Recognizing the challenges posed by abiotic stress, the project focuses on breeding potato varieties that can thrive even under low rainfall conditions. By doing so, IPAF aims to enhance food security for indigenous communities, ensuring they have access to resilient and high-yielding crops. - Heat-Tolerant Potatoes (International Potato Center – CIP)
Description: The International Potato Center (CIP) has initiated a project that primarily focuses on breeding potato varieties with enhanced heat tolerance. Recognizing that heat stress can adversely affect potato yields, the project aims to develop varieties with traits like deep rooting systems that can also aid in drought resistance. This ensures that the potatoes can thrive even in regions with high temperatures, safeguarding yields and promoting sustainable farming. - Potato Drought Tolerance Foundation (United States)
Description: The Potato Drought Tolerance Foundation is a dedicated organization that emphasizes the development of drought-tolerant potato varieties. Given that water scarcity is a significant challenge in many potato-growing regions, the foundation’s efforts are crucial in ensuring consistent yields and promoting sustainable agricultural practices. - Adaptation to Drought Stress in Potatoes (German Research Center)
Description: The German Research Center has embarked on a project that leverages modern breeding technologies and strategies to breed potato varieties with enhanced water-use efficiency. By doing so, the center aims to develop potatoes that can tolerate drought conditions better, ensuring food security and promoting resilience in the face of changing climate patterns. - The SUSTAIN Project (EU)
Description: The European Union’s SUSTAIN Project is a comprehensive initiative that aims to create new potato lines with improved drought tolerance. By employing sustainable farming practices, the project ensures that the developed varieties are not only resilient but also promote environmentally friendly agricultural practices. - Developing Climate-Resilient Potato Varieties (International Institute of Tropical Agriculture)
Description: The International Institute of Tropical Agriculture (IITA) is at the forefront of developing innovative agricultural solutions. Their program on potato breeding focuses on developing varieties that are more resilient to the impacts of climate change, including drought. This ensures that farmers in tropical regions have access to crops that can withstand environmental challenges. - Development of Drought-Tolerant Potatoes (University of Nairobi)
Description: The University of Nairobi, recognizing the challenges posed by water scarcity in regions like Kenya, has initiated a project to develop potato varieties that can thrive in low-rainfall areas. By doing so, the university aims to provide farmers with resilient crops that can produce substantial yields even under challenging environmental conditions. - The ADAPT2CLIMATE Project (Netherlands)
Description: The ADAPT2CLIMATE Project is a visionary initiative that aims to develop new potato lines with improved resilience against climate change, including drought. By understanding the challenges posed by changing climate patterns, the project ensures that farmers have access to crops that can thrive even under adverse conditions. - Irish Potato Value Chain Project (Sierra Leone)
Description: This multi-faceted project, which includes a component dedicated to the development of Irish potato varieties, aims to produce crops that can withstand drought conditions. By doing so, the project ensures that farmers in regions like Sierra Leone have access to resilient crops that can produce consistent yields. - Climate-Ready Potato Project (New Zealand)
Description: Recognizing the challenges posed by changing climate patterns, the Climate-Ready Potato Project in New Zealand focuses on developing potato cultivars that can withstand drought conditions. This ensures that potatoes can be grown in regions with reduced rainfall, promoting sustainable agricultural practices. - Potato Sustainability Initiative (United States)
Description: While the Potato Sustainability Initiative is not exclusively focused on drought tolerance, a significant component of its research deals with water use efficiency. The initiative aims to develop potato varieties that can produce high yields with reduced water input, ensuring food security and promoting sustainable farming practices. - Climate Resilient Potato Project (Peru)
Description: This initiative, led by the International Potato Center, is geared towards the development of potato varieties that can effectively combat the challenges posed by climate change, including prolonged periods of drought. The primary objective is to ensure that potato crops remain productive even under adverse environmental conditions. - Drought Tolerant Potatoes for Africa (ICRISAT)
Description: ICRISAT’s program focuses on the development and distribution of drought-tolerant potato varieties specifically tailored for smallholder farmers across various African regions. The aim is to enhance food security and improve livelihoods in areas frequently affected by water scarcity. - Drought and Heat Resilient Potatoes (CSIRO, Australia)
Description: CSIRO is delving into the genetic modification of potato crops to bolster their resilience against periods of drought and extreme heat. The goal is to ensure that these modified potatoes can thrive and produce optimal yields even under challenging environmental conditions. - The Agrico Drought Tolerance Project (Netherlands)
Description: Agrico’s project is centered around the development of potato varieties that can maintain productivity under drought stress conditions by utilizing less water. This initiative is crucial for regions where water resources are limited or unpredictable. - Potato Adaptation in Changing Climates (UK)
Description: This initiative, led by the University of Leeds, is dedicated to understanding the nuances of potato cultivation under changing climatic conditions. This includes studying the effects of decreased rainfall and increased periods of drought on potato growth and yield. - Resilient Potatoes for Africa (International Institute of Tropical Agriculture: IITA)
Description: IITA’s project is focused on the development of potato varieties that are drought-resistant. This initiative aims to enhance crop yields for smallholder farmers who often face challenges due to erratic rainfall patterns and other climate change impacts. - The Maris Piper Breeding Program (Crispr Therapeutics)
Description: The objective of this program is to produce a new variant of the UK’s popular Maris Piper potato that exhibits enhanced resilience to dry conditions and periods of drought. This is achieved through advanced breeding techniques and genetic modifications. - Drought-Resilient Potato Breeding (University of California – Davis)
Description: Researchers at UC Davis are working diligently to create potato varieties that can flourish even with a limited water supply. These varieties are designed to be suitable for cultivation in regions that are prone to drought, ensuring consistent yields and food security. - The Global Climate Adaptation Partnership (GCAP) Potato Project
Description: GCAP is spearheading efforts to produce resilient potato varieties that are equipped to handle changing climate patterns. This includes enhancing the crop’s ability to thrive with lower water availability due to erratic rainfall patterns. - Michigan State University Potato Breeding Program
Description: This program at Michigan State University is dedicated to the development of potato varieties that can withstand drought conditions. The aim is to enable these potatoes to be cultivated in regions with reduced rainfall, ensuring consistent yields and promoting sustainable agriculture. - CIP-led Consortium for Improving Agriculture-based Livelihoods in Central Africa (CIALCA)
Description: CIALCA is dedicated to breeding potato varieties that exhibit enhanced resistance to the impacts of climate change, including drought. This initiative is particularly beneficial for smallholder farmers in Central Africa, ensuring they have access to resilient crops. - The International Maize and Wheat Improvement Center’s (CIMMYT) Sustainable Intensification Program
Description: While not exclusively centered on potatoes, this program is a significant international effort to breed a variety of crops, including potatoes, that showcase improved drought tolerance. - Swedish University of Agricultural Sciences (SLU) Potato Breeding Program
Description: SLU’s research program is geared towards the development of potato varieties that utilize water more efficiently, thereby enhancing their adaptability to drought conditions. - Stress Tolerant Potatoes for Africa and India (USAID)
Description: Funded by USAID, this project is focused on the development and distribution of drought-tolerant potato varieties tailored for smallholder farmers in various parts of Africa and India. - The Potato Genebank (Canada)
Description: The gene bank conducts extensive research on a diverse range of potato varieties, including those that demonstrate resilience against drought. - Water-Efficient Potatoes (James Hutton Institute, UK)
Description: This initiative is centered around the development of potato cultivars that exhibit enhanced water-use efficiency, bolstering their resilience to drought. - Drought-Resilient Potato Varieties (International Centre for Agriculture Research in the Dry Areas – ICARDA)
Description: ICARDA’s research encompasses the breeding of potato varieties that can flourish in drought-prone regions, ensuring consistent yields and food security. - The Water Efficient Technologies (WET) Centre, UK
Description: While not solely centered on potatoes, the WET Centre showcases cutting-edge irrigation technologies and practices for a variety of crops, including potatoes. This ensures optimized water use and improved drought tolerance. - Efficient Irrigation for Water-Saving in Potato (University of Lleida, Spain)
Description: This project is dedicated to enhancing water use efficiency in potato cultivation. This is achieved through the development and implementation of optimized irrigation practices, ensuring consistent yields even under water-scarce conditions. - UNEP’s Drought Resilient Agri-food Systems (UNEP-DRAS)
Description: Although not exclusively centered on potatoes, this project promotes practices that enhance water use efficiency in various crops, including potatoes. This ensures enhanced drought resilience and sustainable agricultural practices. - The Smart-Reservoir Automated Irrigation Scheduling Tool (University of Florida)
Description: Developed by the University of Florida, this tool is designed to assist farmers in optimizing their irrigation schedules for a range of crops, including potatoes. By doing so, it enhances water use efficiency and improves the drought tolerance of crops. - CropSense – Sensor-Based Irrigation (Kansas State University, USA)
Description: The CropSense project at Kansas State University is dedicated to the development of sensor-based irrigation systems for various crops, including potatoes. This technology-driven approach aims to improve water use efficiency and bolster the drought resilience of crops. - Benchmarking Water Productivity in Potatoes (IWMI, Sri Lanka)
Description: Spearheaded by the International Water Management Institute (IWMI) in Sri Lanka, this initiative is focused on enhancing water productivity in potato cultivation. The project identifies and promotes best practices for irrigation and other water management techniques to ensure optimal crop yields. - The GreenPotatoProject (Rothamsted Research, UK)
Description: The GreenPotatoProject, led by Rothamsted Research, aims to develop a comprehensive approach to managing potato crops under conditions with limited water availability. By understanding the intricacies of potato cultivation in such environments, the project seeks to promote sustainable agricultural practices.
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The essence of these 44 potato breeding programs above is presented below in table format. It includes hyperlinks to different websites where more information can be obtained.
| Project | Description | Source |
| 1. Drought Tolerant Potato Breeding (ICARDA) | International Centre for Agricultural Research in the Dry Areas (ICARDA) aims to breed varieties with improved water-use efficiency, suitable for cultivation in dry regions. | ICARDA Website |
| 2. WU-Potato (Wageningen University & Research) | The project is focused on creating potato varieties that require less water during cultivation, thereby increasing their adaptability to drought conditions. | WUR Website |
| 3. The SuPER-Potato Project (CIP) | Under this program by the International Potato Center (CIP), scientists are working on potato varieties that can thrive under erratic rainfall conditions prevalent in several parts of the world. | CIP Website |
| 4. OLACE (EU) | The European Union’s SOLACE project is aimed at developing crops, including potatoes, which can better tolerate erratic rainfall patterns. This initiative is a part of the EU’s efforts to address climate change and its impact on agriculture. | SOLACE Website |
| 5. CGIAR Research Program on Roots, Tubers and Bananas | This program is working on enhancing the resilience of root and tuber crops, including potatoes, against abiotic stresses like drought. The idea is to assist smallholder farmers who often face challenges due to changing rainfall patterns. | CGIAR Website |
| 6. AdaptNET Project (Spanish National Research Council) | In this project, potato varieties are being developed to increase their adaptability to climatic changes, including areas of low rainfall. The project emphasizes genetic diversity as a tool to enhance potato resilience. | AdaptNET Website |
| 7. Future Farming Systems Research Division, DJPR, Australia | This division is working on developing potato varieties that can cope with water stress and lower rainfall. This will help ensure food security as climate change impacts traditional farming. | FFS Website |
| 8. Water Efficient Potato Project, Potatoes South Australia | This project is targeted towards breeding potato varieties that can provide high yields despite low levels of watering, crucial given the challenging climate conditions in many parts of Australia. | Potatoes SA Website |
| 9. Drought Tolerance, Genetic Engineering, Michigan State University | Research here focuses on dissecting the genetic basis of drought tolerance in potatoes and using this knowledge to genetically engineer superior varieties. | MSU Website |
| 10. Improving Potato Production for Increased Food Security of Indigenous Communities in Asia (IPAF) | The IPAF project aims to breed potato varieties with improved tolerance to abiotic stress, including low rainfall, in the target areas of China, India, and the Philippines. | IPAF Website |
| 11. Heat-Tolerant Potatoes (International Potato Center – CIP) | While this project is primarily focused on heat tolerance, many traits that confer heat tolerance, such as deep rooting systems, can also aid in drought resistance. | CIP Website |
| 12. Potato Drought Tolerance Foundation (United States) | This organization specifically focuses on developing drought-tolerant potato varieties, understanding that water is a highly limiting factor in many potato growing regions. | Potato Drought Tolerance Foundation |
| 13. Adaptation to Drought Stress in Potatoes (German Research Center) | This project utilizes modern breeding technologies and strategies to develop new potato varieties that are more efficient in water use and can thus tolerate drought conditions better. | German Research Center |
| 14. The SUSTAIN Project (EU) | This project aims at creating new potato lines with improved tolerance to drought using various sustainable farming practices. | EU SUSTAIN Project |
| 15. Developing Climate-Resilient Potato Varieties (International Institute of Tropical Agriculture) | This program is focused on breeding potato varieties that are more resilient to the impacts of climate change, including drought. | IITA Website |
| 16. Development of Drought-Tolerant Potatoes (University of Nairobi) | This project aims to develop potato varieties that can thrive in low-rainfall regions of Kenya. | University of Nairobi Website |
| 17. The ADAPT2CLIMATE Project (Netherlands) | This project aims to develop new potato lines that have improved resilience against climate change, which includes drought. | ADAPT2CLIMATE Website |
| 18. Irish Potato Value Chain Project (Sierra Leone) | A component of this multi-faceted project involves the development of Irish potato varieties that can withstand drought conditions. | FAO Website |
| 19. Climate-Ready Potato Project (New Zealand) | This project is developing potato cultivars that can better withstand drought conditions, allowing them to be grown in regions with less rainfall. | Potatoes New Zealand Website |
| 20. Potato Sustainability Initiative (United States) | While not exclusively focused on drought tolerance, part of this initiative’s research deals with water use efficiency and developing potato varieties that can produce high yields with less water. | Potato Sustainability Initiative Website |
| 21. Climate Resilient Potato Project (Peru) | This initiative aims to develop potato varieties that can deal with the challenges posed by climate change, including periods of drought. | International Potato Center Website |
| 22. Drought Tolerant Potatoes for Africa (ICRISAT) | This program is developing and distributing drought-tolerant potato varieties for smallholder farmers in different parts of Africa. | ICRISAT Website |
| 23. Drought and Heat Resilient Potatoes (CSIRO, Australia) | Working on the genetic modification of potato crops to increase their resilience against periods of drought and extreme heat. | CSIRO Website |
| 24. The Agrico Drought Tolerance Project (Netherlands) | This project is developing potato varieties that can still produce well under drought stress conditions by using less water. | Agrico Website |
| 25. Potato Adaptation in Changing Climates (UK) | This initiative is focused on understanding how to grow potatoes under changing climates, including conditions of decreased rainfall and increased periods of drought. | University of Leeds Website |
| 26. Resilient Potatoes for Africa (International Institute of Tropical Agriculture: IITA) | This project develops potato varieties that are drought-resistant to help improve crop yields for smallholder farmers under stress conditions due to climate change. | IITA Website |
| 27. The Maris Piper Breeding Program (Crispr Therapeutics) | This program aims at producing a new variety of the UK’s popular Maris Piper potato that can better withstand dry conditions and periods of drought. | Crispr Therapeutics Website |
| 28. Drought-Resilient Potato Breeding (University of California – Davis) | Researchers here are focusing on creating potato varieties that can thrive well even with limited water supply, making them suitable for cultivation in regions prone to drought. | UC Davis Website |
| 29. The Global Climate Adaptation Partnership (GCAP) Potato Project | GCAP is working on producing resilient potato varieties equipped to deal with changing climate patterns, including lower availability of water due to erratic rainfall. | GCAP Website |
| 30. Michigan State University Potato Breeding Program | This program is focusing on creating potato varieties that can better withstand drought conditions, enabling them to be grown in regions with less rainfall. | MSU Website |
| 31. CIP-led Consortium for Improving Agriculture-based Livelihoods in Central Africa (CIALCA) | CIALCA is focusing on breeding potato varieties that are more resistant to climate change impacts, including drought. This will help smallholder farmers in Central Africa. | CIALCA Website |
| 32. The International Maize and Wheat Improvement Center’s (CIMMYT) Sustainable Intensification Program | While not exclusively focused on potatoes, this initiative represents a major international effort to breed crops, including potatoes, that are more tolerant to drought. | CIMMYT Website |
| 33. Swedish University of Agricultural Sciences (SLU) Potato Breeding Program | This research program is focused on developing potato varieties with improved water-use efficiency, thereby offering higher adaptability to drought conditions. | SLU Website |
| 34. Stress Tolerant Potatoes for Africa and India (USAID) | USAID funded project aimed at developing and distributing drought-tolerant potato varieties for smallholder farmers in different parts of Africa and India. | USAID Website |
| 35. The Potato Genebank (Canada) | The gene bank is conducting research on diverse potato varieties, including those that show resilience against drought. | Potato Genebank Website |
| 36. Water-Efficient Potatoes (James Hutton Institute, UK) | This initiative is developing potato cultivars with enhanced water-use efficiency, enhancing resilience to drought. | James Hutton Institute Website |
| 37. Drought-Resilient Potato Varieties (International Centre for Agriculture Research in the Dry Areas – ICARDA) | ICARDA’s research focus includes breeding potato varieties that can thrive in drought-prone areas. | ICARDA Website |
| 38. The Water Efficient Technologies (WET) Centre, UK | While not solely focused on potatoes, the WET Centre showcases the latest irrigation technologies and practices for a range of crops, including potatoes, to optimize water use and improve tolerance to drought. | WET Centre Website |
| 39. Efficient Irrigation for Water-Saving in Potato (University of Lleida, Spain) | This project aims to improve water use efficiency in potato cultivation through the development and implementation of optimized irrigation practices. | University of Lleida Website |
| 40. UNEP’s Drought Resilient Agri-food Systems (UNEP-DRAS) | Although not exclusively focused on potatoes, this project fosters practices that improve water use efficiency in various crops including potato and thereby enhances drought resilience. | UNEP Website |
| 41. The Smart-Reservoir Automated Irrigation Scheduling Tool | Developed by the University of Florida, it helps farmers optimize their irrigation schedules for a variety of crops including potatoes, thereby improving water use efficiency and drought tolerance. | University of Florida IFAS Website |
| 42. CropSense – Sensor-Based Irrigation (Kansas State University, USA) | The CropSense project is focused on developing sensor-based irrigation systems for various crops including potatoes, to improve water use efficiency and enhance drought resilience. | Kansas State University Website |
| 43. Benchmarking Water Productivity in Potatoes (IWMI, Sri Lanka) | This initiative aims to improve water productivity in potato cultivation by identifying best practices for irrigation and other water management methods. | IWMI Website |
| 44. The GreenPotatoProject (Rothamsted Research, UK) | The aim of this project is to develop a holistic approach to managing potato crops under water-limited conditions. | Rothamsted Research Website |
