
The economic value of potatoes is significant, impacting food security, income generation, and the broader economy. Potatoes can yield more food on less land than other major crops, making them a valuable resource for feeding growing populations. They are a key source of income for farmers in many regions, especially in developing countries. The potato industry also contributes significantly to the overall economy through employment, trade, and related industries, documents indicate.
By the same token, potatoes are a nutritional powerhouse, offering a good source of carbohydrates, fiber, vitamins, and minerals. A medium-sized potato (173g) provides approximately 161 calories, 36.6 grams of carbohydrates, 3.8 grams of fiber, 4.3 grams of protein, and various vitamins and minerals.
People generally have a positive attitude towards potatoes, considering them a staple food with various uses. However, there’s a growing perception that potatoes are unhealthy, especially among younger consumers, who may perceive them as less relevant. This perception is linked to concerns about high fat and calorie content, as well as the belief that potatoes take too long to cook.
The UN General Assembly declared May 30 as the International Day of Potato in December 2023. This day aims to raise awareness about the potato’s nutritional, economic, and cultural value, as well as its contribution to global food security. The first International Day of the Potato was celebrated on May 30, 2024.
Based on the UN’s designation, International Potato Day was celebrated in Ethiopia here in Addis on May 30,2025 for the second time themed, “shaping history, feeding the future” organized by Irish Potato Research and Development Association (IPRaDA). The occasion was attended by members of the association, researchers of the crop and potato seed producers.
Addressing the event Asfaw Mekuria, President of IPRaDA, noted that potato crop needs considerable attention that should be supported by policy and guidelines equals to other basic crops.
The aim of the celebration, as to the president, is tolerance, awareness, about the significance, nutritional, economic, environmental and cultural values of potato. Its contribution is high to global food security, poverty reduction and livelihood of millions particularly rural families.
“In Ethiopia, potato is served as the third staple food. We have been working on potato for over ten years in Ethiopia and made the farmers enjoy from the crop. Potato related problems are vast like disease, market, finance, and knowledge gap towards the farmer among others. IPRaDA was established to solve these problems via gathering members who are engaged in potato value chain from both governmental or nongovernmental organizations and private enterprises,” he said.
The association, as to him, helps them create platform that brings the members together and discuss to solve the problems and enable the farmers upgrade their productivity. Companies that use potato as input for chips production are operational in Ethiopia these days. Processing potato locally comes up with multiple benefits like market accessibility to the farmers, import substitution, foreign currency earning via exporting potato products and business value chain.
Taking into account potato’s benefits, the president underlined that special attention should be given to the crop from the government side as its benefits surpass being food item because it serves as a means of employment for citizens, investment attraction, and foreign currency earning among others. The government can support the sector by issuing policy and guidelines to enhance its productivity based on research thereby benefit the producers and the nation as well.
The International Potato Day celebration ceremony was attended by various entities engaged in potato value chain development including high officials of Ethiopian Institute of Agricultural Research (EIAR), researchers and seed producers of the crop.
Speaking on behalf of Professor Nigusie Dechassa, General Director of EIAR, Fekadu Gurmu (PhD) indicated that the United Nations General Assembly designated May 30 as International Day of Potato under the coordination of Food and Agricultural Organization (FAO). The day aims to raise awareness of the multiple nutritional, economic, environmental and cultural values of the potato and its contribution as intolerable food source and as generator of income for rural families and producers with a view to implementing the 2030 agenda for sustainable development and achieving its sustainable development goals.
Potato represents one of the most important contributions of the hunger region of the entire world as it is one of the main food crops consumed in the world contributing to food security. The diversity, distribution and production of potato around the world as well as the role of potato in the face of current global change were addressed on the observance of the Day, he said.
He further stated that the International Potato Day was also used to underscore the importance of the crop to combating hunger and poverty and addressing environmental degradation to having food systems. The role of the small scale family farmers, a significant proportion of which is women in safeguarding the wide spectrum of the crops diversity was also recognized as the cultural and culinary dimensions of the crop’s cultivations and consumptions.
Potato is a crop of enormous global significance, is not just a staple food, but also provides opportunities for employment and sustainable economic growth along the value chain. In Ethiopia, potato is grown in small scale, mixed farming system mostly in cool highland areas with great adaptability in wide range of climate. Thus, the country can obtain multiple benefits of potato’s sub sector through enhancing its productivity using technological innovation and expansion of a suitable land abundantly available, he added.
According to researchers, potato is a staple food for billions of people around the globe, gives high yield in a small area, and contributes for the achievement of the 2030 development goals. In relation to the observation of the Day, FAO conveys key messages such as better agricultural production, better nutrition for people, better environment and better life.
Potatoes are nutrient-rich, providing vitamins, minerals and dietary fiber. They are rich in vitamin C, which helps prevent scurvy and in potassium, an electrolyte, which contributes to the proper functioning of heart, muscles and nervous system. Potato skin contains dietary fiber, which is important for the digestion of food in the human alimentary system.
The nutrition value of potato is highly dependent on its variety, climate, soil, cultivation techniques, storage conditions, processing, preparation and cooking method. While potatoes can be part of a healthy diet, this depends on the amount consumed, how they are processed, prepared and cooked, and the balance with the rest of the diet.
Adapting sustainable potato production systems can enhance adaptation to climate change and biodiversity. Cultivating a wide spectrum of productive verities that are suited to the local conditions can enhance the resilience of potato cropping system. Potato-legume intercropping or crop rotation systems require less chemical fertilizers and hence reduce greenhouse emissions. Environmentally friendly agronomic practices, such as precision irrigation and conservation agriculture, should be developed, validated and disseminated, it was said.
The potato value chain from cultivation through processing for added value and packaging to marketing, provide immense opportunities for decent employment for rural and urban dwellers, including women and young people. Potato based snack production and marketing is a growing industry in urban areas providing opportunities for entrepreneurship for young people. Small-scale farmers, who are the custodies of the wide variety of potatoes, can improve their livelihoods through better access to innovate technologies and markets.
With thousands of varieties, each unique in color, size, taste and nutritional properties, potato is more than just a staple crop, it is the basis for culinary creativity and a key element in diverse agri-food systems. Initiatives to promote sustainable potato production and consumption may start on the international day of potato while their impacts could go well beyond; it was learned from the researchers’ findings.
BY BACHA ZEWDIE
THE ETHIOPIAN HERALD WEDNESDAY 4 JUNE 2025