Illuminating insights into the vital role of one
of the world's oldest and most important food crops
The potato has a larger story to tell than its humble status
suggests. In this account of the potato and its role in human
history-and the human future-James Lang tells that story.
Combining biology and social science, he describes the origins
of cultivated potatoes; the many ways to propagate, store, and
harvest potatoes; and the crop's potential for feeding a hungry
planet. Along the way, Lang also muses on art and agriculture,
reflects on famine and demography, describes village-based farmer
field schools, and looks at the role the potato plays in China
and other key areas of the world.
Native to the New World, the potato was first domesticated by
Andean farmers, probably in the Lake Titicaca basin. Full of
essential vitamins and energy-giving starch, the potato has
proved a valuable world resource. Curious Spaniards took the
potato back to Europe, from whence it spread worldwide. Today,
the largest potato producer is China, with India not far
behind.
From the many potato projects he studied, Lang learned a simple,
direct lesson: how to address basic problems with practical solutions.
Whether the problem is seed production, pest management, genetic
improvement, or storage, effective projects must take the diversity
imposed by place and by farming traditions as a starting point.
In agriculture, one size does not fit all.
Notes of a Potato Watcher is a book that anyone interested
in food crops and small farms will not want to miss, a book that
explains why the potato was not the culprit in the Irish famine,
and a book that shows why solutions must begin at home.
_________________________________________________________
JAMES LANG is an associate professor of sociology and former
director of the Center for Latin American and Iberian Studies
at Vanderbilt University in Nashville, Tennessee. He is the
author of four other books, including Feeding a Hungry Planet
and Inside Development in Latin America.
Number Four: Texas A&M University Agriculture Series
