All right!! Let's set the stage for a global potato famine!!

I dearly hope that the Year of the Potato emphasizes variety, like the 2000 potato varieties grown in the Andes. I was amazed by the beauty of food diversity shown in the movie, "The Future of Food".

Potatoes require sandy loam soil and irrigation to do best They do not produce in heavy clays. Commercially grown taters use a lot of fungicides to fight blight, which is coming back with a vengeance.

Climates that are wetter than normal and soils cooler than normal are associated with blight outbreaks.

Ask Ireland how relying solely on the potato (and milk) to sustain a population worked out. And the book "The Potato" is a fascinating read.

"True," I said, and spent a few moments in thought. "Are you suggesting that First World farmers are fueling the Third World population explosion?"

"Ultimately," he said, "who else is there to fuel it?"

I sat there staring at him.

"You need to take a step back from the problem in order to see it in global perspective. At present there are five and a half billion of you here, and, though millions of you are starving, you're producing enough food to feed six billion. And because you're producing enough food for six billion, it's a biological certainty that in three or four years there will be six billion of you. By that time, however (even though millions of you will still be starving), you'll be producing enough food for six and a half billion—which means that in another three or four years there will be six and a half billion. But by that time you'll be producing enough food for seven billion (even though millions of you will still be starving), which again means that in another three or four years there will be seven billion of you. In order to halt this process, you must face the fact that increasing food production doesn't feed your hungry, it only fuels your population explosion."

What are the implications for soil erosion if potatoes are grown intensively as a replacement for cereal crops?

Two words: potato famine. Origins in very narrow climate ranges in the Andes. Notoriously prone to disease and member of the nightshade family. Monosaccharide. Genetically stepped on. Probably not a sustainable nor organic food option.

this is not new just think of the Irish potato famine and the fact that potatos actually are one of the western worlds staples now, with even chips being able to be cooked with very low fat content and quick and easily. the spud is back!

Remember the potato famine? It arose because there was too much dependence on one crop (the potato) for food and when that crop didn't come in, there was nowhere to turn. I believe (someone correct me if I'm wrong, please) that the potatoes were hit by a blight of some sort.

To protect against widespread famine, we need to support crop diversity in all places so that if one staple crop is hit by disease, drought, war, or some other plague, there are others available. Moving away from monocultures is also a good idea--they rob our soils of nutrients and the ability to withstand stress. We might also want to stop using staple foods like corn to create fuel and plastic items, too. The land could be put to better use.

Remember, when looking for a staple crop, low calories and fat aren't really a good thing.

is it cynical to predict a potato monoculture crisis around the corner?

Before we start over developing any one specific "solution" ... please remember the Irish Potato Famine. A diversity of food sources would be a much more prudent approach.

I sat there staring at him.

"You need to take a step back from the problem in order to see it in global perspective. At present there are five and a half billion of you here, and, though millions of you are starving, you're producing enough food to feed six billion. And because you're producing enough food for six billion, it's a biological certainty that in three or four years there will be six billion of you. By that time, however (even though millions of you will still be starving), you'll be producing enough food for six and a half billion—which means that in another three or four years there will be six and a half billion. But by that time you'll be producing enough food for seven billion (even though millions of you will still be starving), which again means that in another three or four years there will be seven billion of you. In order to halt this process, you must face the fact that increasing food production doesn't feed your hungry, it only fuels your population explosion."

What's the goal? A sustainable lifestyle, or 12 billion smiling faces with full tummies?

"is it cynical to predict a potato monoculture crisis around the corner?"

Pessimists see a potato monoculture crisis, optimists see cheap vodka.

Shaken or stirred? :)

How can a potato have "more protein and corn"? You guys are looking for writers when all you need are good editors.

so what happens when we get to 8 billion humans and the potato doesn't cut it anymore?

i wish the world would get to the root of the problem here and stop coming up with short term solutions. The potato will only delay from getting to the ultimate conclusion to the problem of food shortages: population control