Sustainable food systems that provide sufficient, nutritious, and accessible food for all often begin with ensuring access to quality seeds. One of the important sectors working hard to contribute to these efforts is the potato sector. Potato, a starchy tuber and root vegetable that is generally grown from seed potato, remains an essential crop in many food systems across the world.

The Dutch potato sector is considered to be a market leader in many aspects when it comes to potatoes. This includes: breeding new varieties, scientific knowledge, potato production and processing, supply of seed and ware potatoes, and the provision of equipment and advisory services. Thus, the Dutch sector is in the position to make a significant contribution to the development of the potato sector in low and middle-income countries.

SeedNL is therefore pleased to announce that the potato sector will start supporting coalition building in transforming potato sectors to contribute to food security, employment, and entrepreneurship under the umbrella of SeedNL. Ensuring the focus of the potato platform is on the whole potato sector and moving from a value chain to a sector transformation approach.

With the potato platform, SeedNL will provide a space for knowledge exchange as the platform will act as a knowledge hub. Also ensuring that there are plenty of opportunities for Dutch, international and local stakeholders from the private sector, government, civil society organisations, and knowledge institutes to connect, share and exchange knowledge and experiences.

A position paper and summary have been initiated by the Dutch Potato Organisation (NAO), together with various Dutch stakeholders, and with support from Netherlands Food Partnership. These documents outline the position of the Dutch potato sector on how to contribute to the transformation of the potato sector in developing countries and emerging economies.