Farmers Review Africa March/April 2020 Farmers Review Africa March - April 2020 digital ( | Page 24

FEATURE
Why we must rethink the potato for
a sustainable use of resources
W
e must change how we handle our
resources. A rapidly growing population,
increased demand for produce and the
threat of climate change bring with them risks to
the food supply chain, and new approaches must
be looked at to enable a sustainable future.
Perhaps often overlooked within the food crisis
though is the potato, which has long been a popular
staple of westernized diets and is now rising
to prominence within new, emerging markets.
Burgeoning demand is good for producers and
processors, but is this increase from consumers
feasible and stable with the current global state?
A growing demand
A huge part of society’s diet for the last 400
years, the popularity of potato shows no sign of
slowing down. According to the latest figures, it’s
estimated that 388,191,000 tonnes of potatoes
are produced annually, with China and India
combined accounting for a third of all harvested
potatoes. The total value of the products is close
to $100bn.
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However, this current trend shows how the potato
market has changed over recent years. In the
early 1990s, the majority of potatoes were grown
and consumed across European and North
American markets. Since then however, there
has been a huge rise in production within markets
such South America, Africa and Asia. used for processed potato goods; a figure which
is increasing year-on-year.
Emerging markets are repositioning the potato
as an alternative to rice and wheat, thanks to its
nutritional value and being more sustainable to
grow – China, in particular, is doing this to help
feed the world’s largest population due to the
pressures of growing less water-intensive crops.
Studies suggest that growing potatoes requires
30 per cent less water than rice, and also returns
a higher yield per hectare. Problematic production impacting
yields
Although the increase in demand is a positive
sign for the industry, it can also create challenges
in terms of ensuring there is an availability
of harvests. Climate change is a huge global
concern, touching all industries and sectors, and
comes as a massive threat to the quality and
overall yield of potatoes.
The range of uses for potatoes has also
instigated its rise in popularity – especially
processed potato products. The likes of frozen
French fries and potato chips are increasingly
becoming consumed more, with 15-20 per cent
of the total crop harvested in China alone being The unpredictability of weather conditions can
impact how, where and when crops can be
grown, due to the changes in which are caused
to the land and climate. In a time when optimized
yields are integral to meeting demand, we need
to be more reactive in the field to find new
An ever-increasing population, partnered with
diets of developing markets changing, has also
fueled the rise in demand for potatoes over the
last decade.