Potatoes for Sustainable Global Food Security

Potato is the third most important food crop in terms of global consumption, and it has been highly recommended by the Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations as a food security crop as the world faces a growing population and related problems with food supply. This paper presents data on global potato production, consumption, malnutrition, and hunger; information which helps pinpoint where the resource-poor and hungry live and how the potato and international agricultural research could help improve food security and livelihoods in developing countries. The International Potato Center has used such a targeting exercise to focus its research for development and develop its new strategic plan, in which five out of the six objectives are related to potato.