The simplest ideas are often the best ones. The humble potato has come a long way in 2008 AD since the days of the Incas in 500 BC. During this time it has been revered and worshiped in South America; reviled and slandered for centuries when it found its way to Europe; then once again appreciated, if not worshiped for the last few centuries. It is fitting that today the potato is honored by the United Nations naming 2008 the International Year of the Potato (IYP). The IYP mission states: "to raise awareness of the importance of the potato (and of agriculture in general) in addressing issues of global concern, including hunger, poverty and threats to the environment." What could be simpler?
Hunger and poverty go hand in hand, with war right alongside them usually fought over land or food supplies. Food prices are at an all time high and still rising; the world population is increasing (it is expected to increase by 100 million people a year for the next 20 years), yet food supplies diminish. Potato cultivation could play a big part in easing the strain caused by food shortages.
There was a record number of 320 million tones of potatoes produced in 2007 on approximately 74 000 square miles of farmland, covering Africa, China, India, Java and the steppes of the Ukraine. Potatoes are an excellent crop as they grow quickly, using less land than any other crop, and will grow even in harsh climates. Potatoes are perfect for developing countries where labor is plentiful and the IYP aims to promote their cultivation there, where they are most needed.
Potatoes provide a rich source of carbohydrates and therefore, energy. They also contain proteins and are rich in Vitamin C, as well as potassium. (In the 16th century, Spanish sailors ate potatoes as standard fare and found they did not suffer from scurvy, a disease caused by lack of Vitamin C.)
Potatoes are extremely nutritious and will help alleviate hunger in a healthy manner. However, only the tuber is edible. The stems and leaves are poisonous. The potato tubers can be cooked very simply by boiling, baking or roasting, thus needing only rudimentary cooking tools, or they can be added to other ingredients to make a more complex dish.
The environment will benefit by the IYP focusing attention on local production of potatoes. The carbon footprint left by transporting commodities worldwide is taking its toll. Globalization has also squeezed local farmers and markets out of once safe incomes as they attempt to compete with foreign imports; they need assistance to improve yields. The IYP will link farmers with markets, increasing profitability. It will also educate farmers in developing countries where, as population size grows, farm sizes are shrinking and therefore worked more intensely. This leads to soil erosion and ecological imbalances. Without help, these farms are vulnerable to pests and disease, and ultimately an inability to produce crops.
IYP can ensure sustainable biodiversity by providing farmers with access to both research and potato breeders, ensuring that there is no repeat of the potato famine in Ireland. Potatoes were so widely grown without any biodiversity in Ireland that when the crop became diseased, the entire crop failed from 1845-1849. This became known as the "Great Famine," when a million people died of starvation. So many people died, or were forced to emigrate, that the population of Ireland dropped from 9 million to just over 4 million in 4 years.
The International Year of the Potato, 2008, is clearly an opportunity for the UN to make a significant contribution to the Millennium Development Goals of improving access to safe and nutritious food; providing sustainable use of biodiversity; and alleviating poverty worldwide.
The humble potato has provided a simple solution as an age-old crop has come to the rescue. It is deserving of the honor accorded it by the United Nations.