Why Are Potatoes So Important in the World?

Right now, the planet we inhabit is populated with more humans than ever before. It passed the milestone of 8 billion people back in 2022. That number is expected to continue growing, with the United Nations predicting that, by the year 2050, there will be nearly ten billion people living on earth. At the same time, resources are becoming increasingly scarce, with global food security becoming a major topic of concern across the globe.

Faced with the reality of a changing climate and a growing population, farmers everywhere are now adapting to the challenge of providing food with enough vitamins, minerals, and healthy calories for everyone. Fortunately, there is one versatile crop which provides critical nutrition without being resource-intensive to grow: potatoes.

Potatoes are now more vital than ever before to the global food supply chain. This ancient crop is revolutionizing the future of agriculture.

High Nutritional Value at a Low Cost

The term “global food security” refers to the ability of the global community to access necessary nutritional requirements. Far more than simply being able to find any source of calories, a truly food-secure community needs a complete nutritional profile: a full array of carbohydrates, proteins, fats, vitamins, and minerals.

With global food prices on the rise, it has become increasingly challenging for communities to find access to the nutrition they need. In most cases, a full nutritional profile means being able to access many different foods, each of which provides some amount of the necessary macro- and micronutrients. Potatoes, however, are some of the most nutritionally dense foods in existence, providing not only carbohydrates but also protein, fiber, and all nine amino acids.

It’s not just that potatoes can provide all this nutrition, either; it’s the fact that they are able to do so at an extremely low cost. While they are not the cheapest vegetable per serving—that honor goes to carrots—they do provide the highest nutritional value per penny compared to every other produce.

One of the Most Efficient Crops

One of the greatest challenges in modern global food security is the resource scarcity that accompanies a changing climate. Crops require water, space, and healthy, nutrient-rich soil. However, different crops have different requirements, and many of the most common food sources also happen to have the greatest needs in terms of resources.

For example, rice, a staple crop all across the world, requires as much as 2,500 liters of water per kilogram of usable food. By the same token, tomatoes, another very common source of nutrition for billions of people around the world, have fairly high requirements in terms of land usage: They require several feet of space per plant.

Potatoes, on the other hand, are much more resource-efficient than their biggest competitors. A kilogram of potato requires only 287 liters of water, just over a tenth of what’s needed for the same amount of rice. A greater yield of potatoes can also be grown in a smaller space, with most potato plants being able to be grown around a foot apart or less.

Resilient and Adaptable

Speaking of climate, any food source that is expected to feed the whole planet must also be able to thrive in multiple environments. While potatoes prefer direct sunlight and thorough hydration, they can also adapt to lower light conditions and tolerate droughts. They can be grown in both warm and cooler climates, provided they are protected from freezing and other environmental extremes.

Their versatility means that potatoes are grown in dozens of countries all over the world. Potato farms can be found in areas as diverse as the mild and rainy landscapes of Ireland and the deserts of Morocco. NASA has even experimented with growing potatoes in Martian soil in the hopes that this versatile crop will feed hypothetical interplanetary colonies in the future.

A Sustainable Crop

Sustainability is another feature that is absolutely vital to modern crops, as farms will need to be able to meet an increasing population’s growing demand for nutrition. We’ve already mentioned that potatoes require less land and water than other staple crops. Another factor that contributes to their sustainability is their reduced carbon footprint. This means that potatoes require less energy to plant and harvest than many other crops, due to the simple fact that they do not need to be planted as deeply in the soil.

Potatoes also keep better than other crops, meaning they have lower energy requirements with regard to storage. After they have been harvested, potatoes only require a cool, dry space for storage, as opposed to the energy-intensive refrigeration demands of many other crops. They also have a reduced risk of spoilage when transported over long distances, meaning that a single farm can feed communities for thousands of miles in every direction.

Versatile and Delicious

Besides their incredible nutritional value and sustainability, potatoes are also incredibly versatile. Few other foods can be eaten multiple times per week while still remaining part of a dynamic and exciting menu. That’s because potatoes can be used to make hundreds of different meals, from hearty main courses to light side dishes to delicious desserts. To get some ideas about what a creative chef can do with a few potatoes, visit the recipes tab on our website.

At the Washington State Potato Commission, we’re working hard to make this critically important food source available for all. For more information about how you can support local growers and help contribute to worldwide food security, explore our website today. We discuss the importance of community involvement in the growing process and how you can take part in this global initiative to provide low-cost nutrition in this country and beyond.