Rome, Italy
December 15, 2008
Booming potato production in the
developing world could falter as the global economic slowdown
reduces investment, trade and potato farmers' access to credit,
a new FAO report warned today.
The threat comes at a time when potatoes have become an
important staple food and a lucrative cash crop in many
developing countries. China is the world's biggest potato
producer, and Bangladesh, India and the Islamic Republic of Iran
are now among the world's leading potato consumers.
 Drawing
on the most recent FAO statistics, the report,
New
light on a hidden treasure. shows that the potato is the
world's number one non-cereal food crop, with total production
reaching a record 325 million tonnes in 2007. More than half of
the global harvest was produced in developing countries.
However, the report says "dark clouds are gathering over
prospects for the year ahead". The global economic slowdown
threatens to reduce flows to developing countries of investment
and development assistance, including the support to agriculture
that has helped many countries strengthen their potato sectors.
Developed countries may be tempted to raise trade barriers,
which already apply stiff tariffs on imported potato products,
while the banking crisis will leave many farmers with no credit
to invest in production in 2009.
"Urgently needed is a vigorous new agenda for potato research
and development aimed at protecting countries' food security and
providing new market opportunities for potato producers," said
NeBambi Lutaladio, coordinator of FAO's International Year of
the Potato 2008 secretariat.
Currently, potato yields in Africa, Asia and Latin America
average just 15 tonnes per hectare, less than half of those
achieved in Western Europe and North America. To strengthen
potato farming in developing countries, FAO and the
International Potato Center have called for "potato science at
the service of the poor" to provide potato growers with better
quality planting material, varieties that are more resistant to
pests, diseases, drought and climate change, and farming systems
that make more sustainable use of natural resources.
"Farmers in highland areas of Africa can harvest 25 tonnes of
tubers from one hectare in just 90 days, which is why potato
production is booming in countries like Uganda," said NeBambi
Lutaladio. "When you add value to production like that, through
better storage and processing, you not only meet food needs, but
have a highly profitable cash crop that can drive economic
development and sustain livelihoods.
"But technology improvements need to be accompanied by other,
more general measures for agricultural development, such as
improved farmer access to extension, credit and production
inputs, better post-harvest management and links to
agro-processing and markets," Lutaladio said.
FAO releases on 15 December 2008 a 144-page
illustrated book, New light on a hidden treasure,
which records the achievements of the International
Year of the Potato and underscores its essential
message: that the potato is a vital part of the
global food system, and will play an ever greater
role in strengthening world food security and
alleviating poverty.
The review - available in Arabic, Chinese, English,
French, Russian and Spanish editions - describes the
rationale for IYP, its objectives and
implementation. It introduces the Year's
guest-of-honour, Solanum tuberosum, the
"humble tuber" that spread from the Andes across six
continents and changed the course of world history.
The review also provides the most recent FAO
statistics on world potato production and
consumption, and profiles of 52 major potato
producing countries.
The International Year was observed around the globe
in scientific conferences, growers' congresses,
festivals, cooking contests, art exhibitions and
school projects. The book presents highlights of
those events, as well as the winning entries in the
IYP Global Photography Contest. The review concludes
with viewpoints gathered from some of the world's
leading "potato people" – those whose daily work
with the potato has become a passionate way of life
– and an overview of prospects for potato
development beyond 2008. |
Full report (very large file: 19.1
MB):
http://www.potato2008.org/pdf/IYPbook-en.pdf |
|
