Uganda Honors First Ever World Potato Day Celebrations

The National Agricultural Research Organisation (NARO) in Uganda has joined the rest of the world to acknowledge the first ever international potato day under the theme, “Harvesting Diversity, Feeding Hope”.

On Thursday in kampala at Media center, officials from both NARO and its partners from the Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO) expressed how excited they are to recognize potato food with all its varieties.

Dr. Antonio Querido, FAO Representative while addressing journalists explained that 

potatoes are crops of enormous global significance and the United Nation designated May 30th as the International Day of the Potato to highlight the importance of potatoes as a staple food and their role in combating hunger and poverty. 

“This day aims to raise awareness about the nutritional value of potatoes, promote their potential to achieve food security, and support sustainable agricultural practices.”

He however, said, celebrating this day also recognizes the contribution of potato farming to the livelihoods of millions of people worldwide, particularly in developing countries. With 8,000 years of history, potatoes are the 3rd most available food crop globally, grown in over 159 countries and with over 5,000 varieties worldwide.

Querido added that potatoes are an essential crop that can help ensure food security and generate job opportunities. The entire process of cultivating, processing, adding value, packaging, and marketing potatoes offers significant potential for creating decent employment, particularly for both rural and urban residents, including women and young people. 

Small scale farmers, who are the custodians of the wide variety of potatoes, can improve their livelihoods through better access 

to innovative technologies and markets. Therefore by promoting the potato, FAO and the UN aims to encourage research and transfer of knowledge on potato cultivation to developing nations to increase yields, he noted. 

FAO is dedicated to supporting sustainable and resilient value chains for crops such as potatoes. This is in line with the FAO Strategic Framework 2022-31 and the UN 2030 agenda for Sustainable Development, which aim to promote efficient, inclusive, and sustainable agrifood systems.

The Minister for Agriculture, Animal Industry and Fisheries, Hon. Frank Tumwebaze, represented by the Commissioner Crops Resources and Certification, Dr. Paul Mwambu, described that in Uganda, the cultivation of potatoes is central to the nation’s agricultural sector and the economy, with an annual production of approximately 1.8 million metric tons. 

He however, revealed that Uganda exports 55,412 metric tons of potato to neighbouring countries against 30,501 metric tons imported. 

The Government of Uganda, through the National Agricultural Research Organisation (NARO), in partnership with other key stakeholders, especially the International Potato Centre (CIP), has also developed a number of sweetpotato and potato varieties that are tolerant and resistant to pests and diseases, are high yielding and nutritious and suitable for agro processing.

“Sweetpotato is the third most crucial crop in Uganda, following cassava and bananas, and it is the primary crop in the vicinity of Lake Victoria.” 

The Minister underscored their high nutritional value and their pivotal role as a dependable food source for both rural and urban populations, particularly during periods of scarcity or pre-harvest.