UNLP and Balcarce Municipality Agree to Produce Dehydrated Potato Foods for Social Programs

The Universidad Nacional de La Plata (UNLP) and the municipality of Balcarce are drafting a cooperation agreement to turn locally grown potatoes into high‑nutrient dehydrated foods. The processing will take place at UNLP’s Plant for Food Integration Social (PAIS), which can produce up to 150,000 servings daily. After processing, the foods will be returned to Balcarce for distribution through community kitchens and municipal assistance programs, aiming to strengthen food security for vulnerable residents. The initiative began after Balcarce mayor Esteban Reino visited the UNLP productive and social pole and observed the PAIS technology. The agreement is still under analysis but is part of a broader agenda to add value to the region’s main agricultural product and support social inclusion.