año internacional de la papa
The year 2008 is the United Nations declared "International Year of the Potato". The potato is only the second food source to be given its own year. Rice was celebrated in 2004.The timing could not be any better for Peru's beloved potato. With soaring food prices and climate change, the potato now stands as one of the only food sources that can viably feed the masses. First domesticated in the Lake Titicaca region of Peru eight thousand years ago, it was brought back to Europe by the Spanish invaders in the 1500s and has spread throughout the world ever since. The potato is the third most eaten food staple behind rice and wheat.
Potentially, the potato could be our saviour. It can be grown in almost all regions of the world, and is not as susceptible to climate change as the grains are. As the national food of Peru, potatoes are grown on the windy and rocky mountaintops of the Andes. The potato grows faster and provides more energy sustenance than our current staple grains. Most importantly, it is not traded on international markets and so prices have remained relatively stable unlike their grain counterparts. Rice and wheat prices have soared in the last year due to food shortages.
Personally I cannot imagine my bowl filled with potato instead of rice, but more potato in my diet could be a sign of the future to come.
More information:
> UN International Year of the Potato
> International Potato Centre
benny | Sunday, July 13, 2008 
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