As the prices of wheat and rice increase, the once-dismissed potato is now being recognized as a valuable and nutritious crop that could help alleviate world hunger. Native to Peru, potatoes can thrive in various climates and require minimal water. They can be harvested in as little as 50 days and yield more food per hectare compared to wheat or rice. Pamela Anderson, director of the International Potato Center in Lima, emphasizes the importance of potatoes in ensuring food security amidst potential food supply shortages. The potato is being recognized for its potential to address hunger caused by rising food prices, a growing population, increased costs for fertilizer and diesel, and more land being used for biofuel production. The United Nations declared 2008 the International Year of the Potato to bring attention to its benefits, calling it a "hidden treasure". Governments, including Peru, are promoting the use of potato flour in breadmaking as a way to combat soaring wheat prices, with initiatives to provide potato bread to various groups in hopes of popularizing the trend. Supporters claim that potato bread tastes just as good as wheat bread, but there are not enough mills producing potato flour. Ismael Benavides, Peru's agriculture minister, emphasized the need to change people's eating habits, as many became accustomed to eating wheat when it was inexpensive. Despite the potato originating in Peru 8,000 years ago near Lake Titicaca, Peruvians consume fewer potatoes compared to Europeans. Belarus holds the top spot for potato consumption globally, with each person eating an average of 376 pounds (171 kg) per year. India has expressed its goal to double potato production in the next five to 10 years to food experts. China, a country that has experienced severe famines in the past due to its heavy reliance on rice, has now become the leading producer of potatoes in the world. In Sub-Saharan Africa, the potato is experiencing significant growth compared to other crops. Some consumers are opting for potatoes over other staples. In Latvia, rising bread prices have led to a decrease in sales, with consumers purchasing more potatoes instead. The developing world is seeing a surge in potato cultivation, providing an opportunity for poor farmers to increase their income as demand for the crop rises. Anderson stated that countries are considering the potato as a viable solution for ensuring food security and generating income. Despite being the world's third most significant food crop, potatoes often go unnoticed for their variety of colors and affordability. While corn is typically used for animal feed, there are over 5,000 different types of potatoes available. Peru is contributing to a gene bank for food crops by sending thousands of seeds to the Doomsday Vault near the Arctic Circle. Potatoes come in a variety of colors, shapes, textures, and sizes, allowing creative chefs to create visually appealing dishes. Juan Carlos Mescco, a 17-year-old potato farmer in Peru, enjoys eating potatoes in different ways throughout the day. Potatoes are a good source of complex carbohydrates that provide slow-release energy and have a low fat content compared to wheat. They are also lower in calories than bread and have more protein and calcium when boiled. In addition, potatoes contain vitamin C, iron, potassium, and zinc. Speculators are not interested in investing in potatoes, which helps keep their prices affordable. Unlike wheat, potatoes are not a global commodity and only a small percentage is traded internationally. Potato prices are driven by local demand rather than global trends, as the transportation of raw potatoes is difficult and they can easily spoil. They can easily get infected with pathogens, making it difficult to export them and preventing the spread of plant diseases. However, the challenge is that prices in certain countries are not high enough to encourage farmers to cultivate them. Locals in Peruvian markets believe that the government should step in to boost demand. Juana Villavicencio, who has been growing potatoes for 15 years and now sells them at a market in Cusco, in Peru's southern Andes, expressed, "Prices are low. It is not profitable to work with potatoes." Science is advancing rapidly, with the development of genetically modified potatoes that can resist "late blight" by German chemicals group BASF. This disease caused famine in Ireland in the 19th century and still results in approximately 20 percent of potato harvest losses globally. Researchers believe that farmers who utilize clean, virus-free seeds could increase their yields by 30 percent and receive approval for export. This could lead to higher income for farmers and increased production, as companies could market specialty potatoes internationally, rather than solely as frozen french fries or potato chips.