The World Food Prize Foundation

Peru - CIP

 

International Potato Center

The International Potato Center (CIP) in Lima, Peru has hosted seventeen high school interns since 2000. 

Established in 1971, CIP is an international research organization that is devoted to reducing poverty and achieving food security on a sustained basis in developing countries through scientific research and related activities on potato, sweet potato, other root and tuber crops, and on the improved management of natural resources in the Andes and other mountain areas.

CIP carries out research and development in biodiversity; plant breeding; crop management; natural resource systems; and human health related to agriculture.

Headquartered in La Molina, outside of the city of Lima, CIP has a number of research centers throughout Peru and Ecuador. 

Interns at CIP work alongside renowned international researchers and experts - like Dr. Pamela Anderson, Dr. Meredith Bonierbale, Miguel Saravia, and Ida Bartolini - in the field villages of Huancayo and Huancavelica.

The students also have the opportunity to travel around Peru with their host families and colleagues to see the city of Cusco, visit the Andes, the Sacred Valley, Machu Pichu, the Historic Center of Lima, the Palace of Torre Tagle, the Cathedral Covenant of Santo Domingo, and the Lima City Walls.

 

Peru Specific Questions

Suggested Travel Link: https://travel.state.gov/content/travel/en/international-travel/International-Travel-Country-Information-Pages/Peru.html

Visa required: Tourist Visa is issued at the port of entry.

Passport: Required

Travelers Heath & Vaccinations: Visit the CDC website at https://wwwnc.cdc.gov/travel/destinations/list

Embassies & Consulates Contact:

  • U.S. Embassy Lima - Avenida la Encalada cdra. 17 s/n Surco, Lima 33 Peru

Telephone: +(51)(1)618-2000

Emergency:+(51)(1)618-2000

Geography: Refer back to "International Internship Sites"

Cellular apps (highly suggested to download prior to departure): US Embassy. Airlines the intern will be traveling through. Whatsapp.


   

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COMMON QUESTIONS ASKED OF CIP BY THE WORLD FOOD PRIZE INTERNATIONAL SUMMER INTERNS


 Who will pick me up at the airport?  Where exactly should I meet this person?  Who would I contact and at what phone number if my flight is behind schedule and extremely late in arriving? 

A taxi driver from CIP will be responsible for this service.


What is the weather usually like during the period June through August?

Winter, around 100% of humidity, even when the temperature drops only some degrees, the humidity gives the sensation of lower temperatures. Bring jeans and warm clothes. Also, some t-shirts, since at La Molina (where the center is) the humidity is lower and some time we have warmer weather.

See more information here,


Describe the range of attire required during the internship:

Is the dress code business or casual?

Casual

 

General description of accommodations:

Dorm-style housing?  Home-hosting with a family?

Home-hosting with Martha Huanes, CIP former staff from Human Resources, who recently retired from CIP.  She lives in a nice neighborhood in Miraflores District, where there are many restaurants, department stores, theaters, Indian markets, etc. Also, Martha has two cats, Hoshi and Wilson.

Individual or common bathrooms? 

Individual bathroom


Where are meals taken? 

Breakfast and dinner from Monday to Sunday with host family.  Lunch at CIP from Monday to Friday. You will receive perdiems for your lunches from Monday through Sunday.


Will there be other high school or college students living and working there this summer?

There will be some other international students at that time of the year in different areas of CIP


Computer access/usage and telephone access:

Is it advisable for me to bring a laptop computer with me?

Yes. 


Will I receive an orientation to local customs, where I should and should not go, wise safety practice for the area, etc.?  Would such guidance/mentoring throughout the summer come from a person other than my direct project supervisor?  If so, who is the person and how do I contact her/him?

The first day at CIP you will have a meeting with our Security Manager to instruct you with security measures at CIP and in the city. Before your arrival, CIP HR Department will send information in this regard. Your host will also give you the appropriate orientation.


Is the workweek Monday through Friday?  The typical workday consists of how many hours? 

Yes, Monday through Friday from 7:30 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. with a break from 12:00 p.m. to 1:00 p.m. for lunch (8 hours).


How can I access currency?  (Is there a bank near the center?)

We have a cashier’s office at CIP that will help you with money exchange. There are also some banks nearby, but we need to drive outside CIP to get to them. We recommend that you exchange your money inside CIP, on Fridays from 08:00 to 09:00 a.m.


In case of a medical need or emergency, is there a clinic or medical facility near the place I will be working?

Please bring an international health and life insurance policy covering the period you will stay in Peru. Here at CIP, we have a medical office with a doctor, attending from 7:30 a.m. to 4:30 p.m., (in the case you need immediate assistance, he will be more than happy to help.)

 

Student Research Projects

The Effect of Cooking and Peeling on Total Glycoalkaloids in Potatoes (2023)

Safeguarding the Future: Tackling Conservation Inside and Outside of a Laboratory (2023)

Potato and Sweetpotato and Hybrid Conference Participation Exploration (2022)

Detecting Viruses in Potatoes and Sweet Potatoes with Deep Sequencing of Viral sRNAs (2021)

 

Finding Value in Unsuspected Places: Investigating the effects of growing location on micronutrient content in Native Andean Potatoes (2018)

The Impact of Atmospheric Conditions on Stomatal Conductance Using Fully Integrated and Water Restricted Varieties of Potato and Sweet Potato (2017)

Utilizing Time-lapses to Analyze Root and Upper Biomass Correlation (2016)

An Investigation of Virus Infections in Sweet Potato Crops (2015)

Analyzing the Component Traits of Potato Root System Architecture in Relation to Drought Tolerance Characteristics (2014)

Exploring the Effects of Climate Change on Parasitoids of the Potato Tuber Moth (2013)

Analysis of Climate Data in Southern Peru Using Geographic Information System Tools (2012)

Evaluating Biological Control Methods to Reduce Damage by the Potato Tuber Moth (2011)

Assessing Genetic and Nutritional Trait Diversity in Native Andean Potatoes for Improved Breeding Efficiency (2010)

Investigation of the Effects of Climate and Other Factors on Potato Production in China (2009)

Food Security Strategies in the Montaro Valley (2008)

Studying Phytophthora Infestans in Potatoes (2007)

Developing Urban Agriculture (2006)

Determining the Amount of Vitamin C Content in Potatoes (2005)

Determining the Vitamin C Content of Potato Genotypes (2004)

The Molecular Characterization of Transgenic Sweet Potato (2003)

Evaluating the Effects of Pesticides on the Potato Tuber Moth (2003)

Experimenting with Genetic Modification in Potatoes (2002)

Poverty Reduction through Native Potato Chips (2001)

An Examination of Potato Research in Peru (2000)

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