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Growing Beyond Borders

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When Canada’s agricultural experts share insights with other nations, it doesn’t just bolster global food security; it enriches Canada’s agricultural community as well.

As a young boy, Peter VanderZaag vividly recalls family dinners where his mother would remind him to finish his plate because “children in China are hungry.” This simple yet profound lesson about compassion and responsibility toward others’ wellbeing left an indelible mark.

Fast forward to today, and VanderZaag — now President of Sunrise Potatoes in Ontario — is no longer merely digging imaginary tunnels to send food to the less fortunate; he’s actively shaping agricultural practices to alleviate hunger — specifically in China. In fact, VanderZaag has dedicated almost four decades to improving potato production in the nation that now leads the world in potato cultivation.

Though VanderZaag spent many years helping farmers in Africa and Asia, his involvement with China began in 1986, when the International Potato Center (CIP) was looking for ways to expand its agricultural collaboration. Armed with about $200,000 — a significant amount of money at the time — VanderZaag planted the seeds of what would become pivotal in transforming China’s agricultural landscape.

“They are by far the number one producer of potatoes in the world,” he says. “And I can say, I’ve played a role in that happening.”

Learning Together in the Field

VanderZaag along with many Chinese Colleagues focussed on several projects, the most significant a collaborative effort to develop a diploid potato. Diploid potatoes have only two copies of every gene, instead of four, making it less likely for there to be defective genes. More importantly, though, by creating diploid inbred lines, breeders can improve existing lines by adding new traits — for example, genes for late blight resistance, one of the industry’s most devastating diseases.

VanderZaag has certainly made his mark on this work, but after decades collaboration, he says the knowledge transfer goes both ways.

“We learn together,” he says. “What they’ve done there is really amazing — their innovation is incredible. They’re the global leader on their diploid work and now, they’re sharing that important information with the world.”

Other projects include aeroponics, advanced testing and control for viruses and diseases, germ plasm research, and cross-border training. And that’s only skimming the surface.

Peter VanderZaag and Dr. Wang Kexiu of Sichuan Academy of Agricultural Sciences looking at an Aeroponics experiment.

Changing Lives, One Potato at a Time

The results of VanderZaag’s work are profound. Over the last decade, China has transformed its agricultural policies to include initiatives promoting potatoes as a staple food. In 2015, a prominent policy was launched to integrate potatoes into all government meals to encourage demand. By 2021, Chinese potato production had skyrocketed to levels surpassing 90 million tons, setting a precedent for food production and security.

For VanderZaag, this work is deeply personal and reflects his lifelong project of driving food security not just in Canada but in developing agriculture globally. By helping China improve its food systems, he feels a connection to the values instilled in him during childhood — making a difference, one potato at a time.

The Importance of Knowledge Sharing

He isn’t alone in his belief that sharing knowledge across borders is essential. The importance of educational exchanges and scientific collaboration in agriculture transcends national boundaries, as underscored by others in the industry who are keen to share their expertise.

Last month, Tyler Heppell — Production Manager at Heppell’s Potato Farm in Surrey, BC — travelled 48 hours across continents to a farm tasked with providing food for more than 300 children under the care of Ally Global Foundation, a charitable organization dedicated to rescuing children at risk of sex trafficking.

A staunch advocate for the Canadian potato industry, Heppell’s “Potato Ty” social media channels have amassed nearly a million followers and continue to grow.

A staunch advocate for the Canadian potato industry — Heppell’s “Potato Ty” Instagram and Tik Tok channels have amassed nearly a million followers and continue to grow — Heppell says he felt compelled to travel to Nepal when he learned of the upcoming mission through his church.

“I got a call from Randy, the guy who runs the mission — he told me about the farm and the struggles they were facing,” Heppell says.

“It felt like the perfect opportunity for me to go.” He was joined by Elizabeth Irving, the farm manager at Indian River Farms in P.E.I., and representatives from Ally Global.

The farm in Nepal, located on a mountainside facing the breathtaking Himalayas, produces a variety of crops for the 300 children and 200 volunteers who live there, including lettuce, tomatoes, and potatoes. But in recent years, the potato crop had produced less than ideal results.

“Every other year, they were just getting wiped out,” Heppell says. “Their potatoes and tomatoes were rotting, and they weren’t seeing much yield.”

Irving quickly identified the problem as blight, a disease caused by a fungus-like microorganism that can devastate potato and tomato crops. Armed with years of experience and knowledge, the growers were able to offer the farmers in Nepal fresh perspectives and strategies to manage the disease.

“One of the biggest challenges was this mentality of ‘we can’t do that’ because no one in the area does it that way,” Heppell says. “Unfortunately, many third-world countries look only at what their neighbors are doing and miss out on innovations happening elsewhere.”

This insight was met with tremendous appreciation from the growers — and the recipients of the food. Heppell says he was able to spend time with the children living in the five safe houses.

“I hugged each one of them. It was so powerful,” he says, acknowledging that he’d expected sorrow, given the harsh realities these children had endured. Instead, there was overwhelming joy. “It was life-giving instead of life-sucking.”

For Heppell, this trip was about much more than sharing his knowledge about farming; it was personal.

“One of the most evil things happening in the world is the exploitation of children,” he says. “When the opportunity arose to help make a difference, it gave me so much purpose. A chance to make a difference in a child’s life.”

Heppell returned home carrying with him not only the warmth of human connection but also the lasting impact of his work.

“Going there and seeing their joy made it so worthwhile,” he says. “It’s incredible to know that I made a difference. It’s definitely going to stay with me.”

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