The History of the Potato: From the Andes to the World
The potato was first cultivated in the Andes of South America around 7,000 to 10,000 years ago. Spanish travellers brought it to Europe in the 16th century, where people at first refused to eat it. Today it is the world's third most important food crop, after rice and wheat.
How did potatoes reach Europe?
The Spaniards who reached South America in 1532 saw locals eating potatoes. The tuber turned out to be one of the few crops that could survive the long journey across the Atlantic. But Europeans were reluctant: the plant was grown as a curiosity or fed to livestock. In 1744, the Prussian king Frederick the Great ordered his subjects to plant potatoes as a safeguard against failed wheat harvests. In France, the agronomist Antoine-Augustin Parmentier campaigned for them.
Key facts
- Potatoes were first cultivated in the Andes 7,000 to 10,000 years ago.
- Potatoes need seven times less water than cereals.
- Potatoes are grown in over 100 countries; China is the leading producer.
How did potatoes change history?
People could now grow food on poor soils unsuitable for wheat. By the end of the 18th century, widespread famine had practically disappeared across a region stretching from Ireland and Portugal to the Ural Mountains. Between 1801 and 1851, the population of England and Wales nearly doubled, reaching 18 million. But dependence had a price: between 1845 and 1852 a fungal disease destroyed Ireland’s potato crop. Approximately one million people died in the Great Famine and another million emigrated.
Where can I read the full story?
This is a short version of “Potatoes: How to Feed the Whole World” from OYLA 12+, Vol. 8, Issue 8. The full article in OYLA 12+ follows the potato from Andean terraces to European royal courts and shows the life cycle of the plant.
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