Opinion: Why the potato deserves to finally have its day

As a staple food for two-thirds of the world’s population, it’s safe to say that the potato, with its more than 4,000 varieties, is one of the most important pillars of global food security. But until now, the crop’s many benefits for nutrition, rural livelihoods, and climate resilience have flown under the radar outside of Peru, where the tuber was domesticated some 8,000 years ago and remains a piece of national patrimony. At long last, this is set to change with the United Nations observing the inaugural International Day of Potato on May 30, allowing this vital food crop to finally receive its day in the sun. Global recognition for the contribution of the potato to sustainable development is long overdue, especially given the many scientific developments that have produced modern varieties that are even more nutritious and resilient to pests, diseases, and climate extremes. As the ancient home of the potato, it is only fitting that Peru is the home of the world’s largest collection of potato genetic material in a gene bank managed by the International Potato Center, or CIP. This collection has preserved the raw genetic material of almost all known wild relatives, allowing scientists to select and breed for specific beneficial traits. Most importantly, though, major scientific advances have addressed many of the potato’s ancient vulnerabilities that once limited its full potential. Indeed, these crops have come a long way since the blight-vulnerable varieties whose failure contributed to devastating famines centuries ago. “Thanks to scientific advances, modern potato varieties are more resilient than ever.” --— Brought to Europe from South America in the late 16th century, potatoes soon spread as a resilient, low-cost source of food that would grow quickly and in conditions that might thwart other crops. Yet, farmers still faced many challenges to production. Potato late blight outbreaks have historically proven disastrous, contributing to the Irish Famine of the mid-1800s. Even today, late blight can still affect these crops across their ancestral homelands in South America and worldwide, undermining harvests, food, and nutrition security, and economic growth. And another emerging threat — in the form of potato purple top disease — is now increasingly threatening harvests in Colombia, Ecuador, and Peru. However, thanks to scientific advances, modern potato varieties are more resilient than ever. Building on decades of breeding efforts, scientists continue developing late blight-resistant potato varieties and other solutions to stem the threat of potato purple top. These new, improved varieties are particularly beneficial for smallholder farmers for whom crop disease outbreaks can prove especially ruinous. Likewise, work is ongoing by scientists to build potato’s resilience to many novel, modern challenges. For instance, rising sea levels and irrigation infrastructure in many parts of Asia have contributed to greater levels of salinity in soils, which can negatively impact production of crops that are not used to these conditions. In response, CIP has led the way in developing and releasing saline-tolerant varieties of potato to allow farmers to continue growing despite these conditions. Figures show that improved varieties of these crops were grown by nearly 3 million farming households across Asia, building resilience to emerging soil quality challenges. In fact, Asia is today by far the world’s largest producer and consumer of potato. Elsewhere, by promoting potato as an alternative to other staple crops, policymakers hope to reduce the dependence of some countries on imports. Doing so would improve resilience to supply chain shocks, such as those faced due to the conflict in Ukraine and the subsequent shortages of cereals and increased fertilizer prices this caused, particularly across Africa. Back in Peru, researchers are today mobilizing potato crops to combat anemia by developing varieties biofortified with iron, a key micronutrient for human development. Together with their Peruvian partners, CIP scientists have bred iron-rich potatoes that contribute to the fight against iron deficiency anemia, which curtails the lives of nearly 1 in 3 children in Peru. Ultimately, potatoes are more than just a staple crop — they’re a source of rural livelihoods and improved food security in the world’s developing regions. At the same time, these plants are increasingly capable of standing up to the threat of climate change, pests, and diseases. An annual reminder of the potato’s value will ensure we continue to maximize the potential of this vitally important crop to address the food security challenges facing the world.