Abstract

In the coming decades, feeding the expanded global population nutritiously and sustainably will require substantial improvements to the global food system worldwide. The main challenge will be to produce more food with the same or fewer resources. Food security has four dimensions: food availability, food access, food use and quality, and food stability. Among several other food sources, the potato crop is one that can help match all these requirements worldwide due to its highly diverse distribution pattern, and its current cultivation and demand, particularly in developing countries with high levels of poverty, hunger, and malnutrition. After an overview of the current situation of global hunger, food security, and agricultural growth, followed by a review of the importance of the potato in the current global food system and its role played as a food security crop, this chapter analyzes and discusses how potato research and innovation can contribute to sustainable agri-food systems with reference to food security indicators. It concludes with a discussion about the challenges for sustainable potato cropping considering the needs to increase productivity in developing countries while promoting better resource management and optimization.

Highlights

  • The Current Situation of Global Hunger, Food Security, and Agricultural GrowthA growing earth population and the increasing demand for food is placing unprecedented pressure on agriculture and natural resources

  • The results showed a positive relationship between percentage of recommended dietary intake (RDI) for both Fe and Zn intakes by children and production of native potatoes for home consumption, raising small animals for consumption and sale and the area of production of commercial potatoes that allowed the families to improve their incomes and diversifying the family diet

  • The analysis of leveraging potato agri-food systems for global food security issues and challenges in this chapter emphasizes the need for making agricultural research programs and food system interventions more responsive to food security dimensions

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Summary

Petsakos Formerly CIP, Seville, Spain

Current global food system and its role played as a food security crop, this chapter analyzes and discusses how potato research and innovation can contribute to sustainable agri-­food systems with reference to food security indicators. It concludes with a discussion about the challenges for sustainable potato cropping considering the needs to increase productivity in developing countries while promoting better resource management and optimization

Introduction
The Potato in the Global Food System
Potato Production and Demand Trends by Region
The Potato Remains a Food Security Crop in the Developing World’s “Nutrition Transition”
Policies and Strategies for the Development of the Potato as a Food Security Crop
Potato in a Global Food Security Context
Research and Innovation for Sustainable Potato Cropping
Potato Breeding, a Driving Force Towards More Efficient Potato Production
Seed Quality and Availability, the Key to Harvest Success
Potato Crop Management and Farming Practices to Increase Productivity and Sustainability
Integrating Food Security and Value Chain Development
Post-harvest Management
Findings
Concluding Remarks
Full Text
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