We have all heard of the year of the dog and year of the rat, but now it is time for the year of the potato. Yes I said potato, there are many reasons why the United Nations have declared 2008 the International Year of the Potato. Now this humble crop is now getting the limelight, lets take a look at a few of them.
World Economy- Every food crop in the world is getting more and more expensive to grow, harvest and transport. Wheat, corn and rice are the three biggest international food commodities and they are forcing food prices to skyrocket worldwide. Unlike these cereal grains the potato is not traded as a commodity and has low cost of production. In its birthplace of Peru the government has reduced wheat import cost to help encourage their population to eat more breads and foods that contain potato flour.
Feed the Hungry- The world's population is expected to grow by more than 100 million people a year, and 95 % of that population will be centered in developing countries. The potato could be a sustainable crop that could help meet several hurdles that these countries will face; land, water sources and sometimes very harsh climates. The potato can be grown on less land and require less water than most of the cereal grains and can be grown much quicker as well. All this adds up to cheaper foods, job production and most important in my mind is the ability to export goods to help bring back in capital to build these developing countries.
Nutrition- For years people have dismissed the nutritious qualities of the potato, but there is good nutrition in this small package. The sweet potato has been given recent press for its ability to supply our bodies with complex carbohydrates and dietary fiber. As for the potato it is fairly high in amino acids and very rich in vitamin C. Its potassium levels are one fifth of the recommended daily value.
These are just a few great qualities of the potato, that help get its own year long celebration. I encourage all of you to look at the website that the FAO (Food and Agriculture Organization) and the United Nations have launched to help bring awareness to the potato. We at Nourish the Thought would like to hear any comments and or facts that you have researched or studied on potatoes and global foods.
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