The resolution on the International Day of the Potato was recently adopted by the UN General Assembly by consensus, according to information released by the World Potato Congress Inc.

World Potato Congress (WPC) Director André Devaux and former WPC President Romain Cools put a lot of work into seeing this initiative through to completion. Over the past few years, WPC has coordinated with FAO, Peru’s Ministries of Agriculture (MIDAGRI), and Foreign Affairs. The first celebration is scheduled for May 30, 2024, and it will be an annual occasion.

“The potato plays a fundamental role for global food security and nutrition, as well as for income generation, and the need for small-scale farmers and value chain actors to have sustainable practices to ensure environmental protection and social equity,” the Ministry of Foreign Affairs with the Government of Peru states.

It is significant to note that Peru started taking action in June 2022 through its diplomatic missions overseas, submitting a proposal for the creation of an international potato day within the scope of the 11th World Potato Congress (Dublin, Ireland). The plan was then overseen in Rome, Italy, between July 2022 and July 2023, within the context of the different UN bodies that make up the Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO), before being unanimously accepted by the UN General Assembly.

The UN’s decision to declare May 30 as International Day of the Potato, a chance to increase public awareness of a crop that is regularly consumed by billions of people and has worldwide significance for food security and nutrition, was warmly received by the Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO).

Peru spearheaded the yearly observance, submitting a proposal for adoption to the UN General Assembly based on a July 7, 2023 FAO Conference Resolution. The Day’s inspiration comes from the need to highlight the important role that potatoes play in addressing major global concerns like food insecurity, poverty, and environmental dangers. It builds upon the 2008 International Year of the Potato.

“This International Day will shed light on the significant value of the potato – nutritional, economic, environmental, and cultural. It will also highlight the contribution of the potato to global food security, poverty reduction, and the livelihoods of millions while emphasizing the key role of Indigenous Peoples knowledge and practices,” FAO Deputy Director-General Beth Bechdol mentioned.

The Permanent Representative of Peru to the UN, Víctor García Toma, informed the General Assembly that the Day will highlight the value of this ancestral crop in promoting food security, biodiversity conservation, agricultural development, and ecosystem functions.