On May 30th, the UN’s Food and Agriculture Organization will lead commemorations for the first ever International Day of Potato.

Originating in the Andes Mountains in South America, potatoes are now eaten by more than one billion people around the world.

The theme for the first International Day of Potato is “Harvesting Diversity, Feeding Hope”.

The FAO says there will be a focus on the contribution of this crop to the lives of producers and consumers, and is also a call to action for governments, civil society and NGOs, parents and educators to learn more about the potato and how it enriches our lives.

It adds that as the third most consumed food crop globally, potatoes contribute to the food security and nutrition as well as and livelihoods and employment of people in rural and urban areas the world over.