An innovative storage system for potato seed is being implemented in the Guatemalan departments of Jalapa, Jutiapa, and Santa Rosa by the Ministry of Agriculture, Livestock and Food (MAGA), with technical support from the KOPIA Guatemala Center. The initiative aims to improve the quality of potato seed and strengthen production in the country. This work is carried out through MAGA’s Vice Ministry of Food and Nutritional Security (VISAN).
This year, a new semi-basement warehouse is under construction in Altupe, Jalapa. The facility will have a capacity to store between 80 and 100 quintals of seed in a space measuring 36 cubic meters. It is expected to be completed in November and will directly benefit local producers by improving conditions for seed conservation.
Between 2023 and 2024, seven other warehouses using this design were built, bringing the total number to eight. These facilities now serve about 500 producers across 15 rural communities in eastern Guatemala.
The semi-basement warehouses offer improved ventilation, temperature control, and lighting compared to traditional methods. These factors help keep tubers healthy and free from pests or diseases.
Project technicians conduct regular monitoring of variables such as internal temperature—which must remain between 12°C and 15°C—as well as humidity and ventilation levels to ensure optimal storage conditions.
According to MAGA, “the project forms part of Technical Cooperation PCT Potato Cultivation, developed within the framework of an agreement between MAGA and Korea’s KOPIA Center, an alliance that promotes knowledge transfer and innovative agricultural technologies.”
The system was inspired by South Korean experience. As explained by Dr. Kwon Min, director of KOPIA Guatemala: “The initiative promotes in the country a system inspired by the experience of South Korea…with the aim of prolonging sprouting time and maintaining tuber quality longer after harvest.”
Typically, potato seed begins sprouting within three months under normal conditions. With this system, however, preservation may extend up to five months—allowing better quality planting material for both winter and summer cycles.
The technology aims to preserve seed vigor and sprouting capacity for more stable production outcomes. In addition to storage improvements, the project is also testing at least three certified potato varieties against the local Loman variety to determine which are best suited for eastern Guatemala’s agroclimatic conditions.
“The PCT Potato Cultivation Project represents an important step in cooperation between Guatemala and Korea,” MAGA stated. “It helps improve productive yields, family incomes, and food security by ensuring access to high-quality seed for future plantings.”
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