THE National Potato Innovation Centre (NPIC) is part of a global partnership that has launched a new international research initiative to accelerate the delivery of improved crop varieties to farmers facing climate change, pests and disease pressure.
Genetic Acceleration through Artificial Intelligence for Root and Tuber Crops (GAIN-RT) combines world-leading expertise in crop breeding, artificial intelligence, gene editing and field-based research and aims to accelerate innovation from laboratory to farm. Partners include NPIC, which is hosted by The James Hutton Institute, the International Potato Centre (CIP) and key African partners, the Kenya Agricultural and Livestock Research Organisation (KALRO) and Egerton University.
Climate change, evolving pests, and emerging diseases are advancing faster than conventional crop breeding can keep up. This growing gap threatens farmer livelihoods, food security and nutrition, especially in vulnerable regions such as sub-Saharan Africa.
GAIN-RT is working to close that gap using advanced AI models to predict which crop varieties will perform best under climate stress, identify stronger, more durable disease resistance and improve breeding efficiency while reducing development timelines. By unlocking insights from large genomic, environmental and field datasets, AI can significantly shorten the time required to develop and release improved varieties, ensuring farmers have access to better crops sooner.
Initially focused on potato, the project aims to speed up climate-resilient varieties, boost yields and reliability for smallholders, reduce chemical use through stronger resistance and enhance food and nutrition security. Building on the success of this first phase, sweet potato and other crops will follow.
Professor Ingo Hein, Principal Investigator from the Hutton and Deputy Director of the National Potato Innovation Centre, said: “This collaboration harnesses the potential of AI and emerging technologies including gene editing to help accelerate the development of more resilient potatoes and other strategically important crops, supporting a more sustainable future and strengthening food security.
CIP Director General, Simon Heck, added: “Breeding has traditionally taken many years to deliver improved varieties. But climate change and pests do not wait. They evolve rapidly. Artificial intelligence gives us the tools to catch up, helping breeders identify better varieties faster and reduce the risks farmers face.”
The strength of GAIN-RT lies in its integrated partnership. CIP brings global leadership in potato and sweet potato breeding along with strong links to farmers and national programmes. The Hutton contributes expertise in artificial intelligence, genomics, and plant science. KALRO and Egerton University provide regional knowledge, field validation and pathways for adoption in Africa.
Beyond technology, the initiative will invest in training scientists, particularly women and early-career researchers, in AI-driven breeding and gene editing to help ensure that innovation capacity is built locally and sustained over time.
