Alessandra Daniele We have been chosen by the Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO) to celebrate the kickoff of the International Day of Potato (May 30) at Mercato of Campagna Amica in Circo Massimo, where every week local producers sell their product, respecting the value of sustainability. The choice of this location underlines the important role of the farmers market as keepers of biodiversity.
This day is essential to underline the importance of this popular food that, according to Beth Crawford, Assistant Director General at FAO, is the third most consumed food in the world after rice and wheat. Even if potatoes have fed people during hard times, we do not have to forget that still today there are 735 million people in hunger. That’ why is important to raise people awareness, not only producers ones, to choose sustainable food in order to build a strong chain of value that can make the difference in order to “harvest biodiversity and feed hope”.
Potatoes are a valid example of biodiversity all over the World. In the Andean Mountains, for example there are more than 1050 varieties of potatoes and this is the period of the year in which there is the maximum of production, that’s the reason why this day is celebrated on May 30.
To conclude the meeting, a lunch with a typical Italian dish made of potatoes, that according to the tradition, is consumed on Thursday: gli Gnocchi!
Here some Photos!
