Speaking at the award ceremony held at CIP headquarters in La Molina, the Peruvian Minister of Foreign Affairs, H.E. Manuel Rodriguez Cuadros commended Hubert Zandstra's contributions to Peru, in particular his association with the National Working Group on Mountain Ecosystems organized by the Peruvian Ministry of Foreign Affairs in 2002 , the International Year of Mountains. The Minister also recognized Dr. Zandstra's contributions that have helped Peru to enhance its influence at international fora on biodiversity conservation and the sustainable development of mountain regions.

The Peruvian Minister of Foreign Affairs, H.E. Manuel Rodriguez Cuadros honors Hubert Zandstra at the award ceremony.

"One of my most gratifying professional experiences was the reintroduction of potato seed, a technology used by the ancient Incas, in Callejón de Conchucos in Ancash," said Zandstra while accepting the award. In 1994, Father Ugo de Censi approached CIP after the region's farmers had lost all their seed due to a devastating drought. With the seed CIP sent, farmers were able to increase their yields fivefold, and the community no longer had to constantly search for good quality seed.

In his remarks, the Minister highlighted the significance of having CIP headquarters in Peru, a country known as the birthplace of the potato. He emphasized that just as the populations of Mexico and Central America are known as the cultures of maize, the people of Peru should be known as the culture of the potato, both for the connection of the crop to Peru's ancient Andean heritage, as well as for the global value of the tuber which is the world's fourth most important food crop.

For more information on CIP, visit www.cipotato.org