International Year of the Potato 2008 Launched
Since the world's population is expected to grow on average by tens of millions of people a year over the next two decades, the International Year of the Potato (IYP 2008) is focusing world attention on the importance of the potato in providing food security and alleviating poverty.
Developing countries in particular will be under pressure to handle these growing populations and their need for food since land and water issues are already seen as challenges.
The observance of IYP 2008 will provide an opportunity to raise awareness -- among policy-makers, donors and the general public, especially young people and school children -- of the importance of the potato in particular, and of agriculture in general, in addressing issues of global concern, such as food insecurity, malnutrition, poverty and threats to the environment.
About the year
The General Assembly has declared 2008 as the International Year of the Potato in its resolution 60/191 of 22 December 2005 (A/RES/60/191).
The Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO) is facilitating the implementation of the Year, in collaboration with Governments, the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP), the Consultative Group on International Agricultural Research Centres, and other relevant United Nations system and non-governmental organizations.
Hidden TreasurePreviously, the Assembly had declared 2004 as the International Year of Rice, noting that rice is the staple food of more than half of the world’s population (A/RES/57/162). Then, too, it affirmed the need to heighten awareness of the role of rice in alleviating poverty and malnutrition and reaffirmed the need to focus world attention on the role it can play in attaining internationally agreed development goals, including the Millennium Development Goals. http://www.potato2008.org/
Posted Date : Feb 09, 2008 | 
