Potatoes on Your Plate

Leo Donnelly

The people of Huasahuasi, Peru may develop a good income from potatoes if this project is successful.

Michael Joyce, an agronomist visiting Huasahuasi, Peru, was really impressed with the town's seed potato project. He was so enthusiastic that on returning to Ireland he said he would get us help. As parish priest then, I didn't encourage this idea, but said, ‘Maybe later on.'

The terrorist group, Shining Path, was violently opposed to aid-projects. The townsfolk had been through more than enough trauma; we didn't need a recurrence. I alone had buried 28 assassinated persons.

But after awhile the project was up and running thanks to the organiser of the project, Hector Martinez Trinidad, an agronomist who had government support. Hector organised small land holders into buying the convent as the laboratory for growing potatoes. The Australian Josephite Sisters sold the convent to the people for this purpose; in doing so they forfeited much better offers from private investors.

Apart from the convent/laboratory, Hector had been instrumental in building a nursery made up of four glasshouses. Once established, the seedlings from the laboratory were transferred to these incubators. Peat moss gathered above arable land at 4,000m, was trucked down to make nurturing beds for the seedlings.
This environment produced tiny potatoes the size of marbles. They were then trucked back up to the highest arable land. Then, harvest by harvest they were gradually planted lower and lower down the valley. In this way, new strains of seed and consumer potatoes were assured. Then Hector stood for district Mayor and won. His replacement as Director proved a disaster. The whole project ground to an abandoned halt.

I got word that Bartolo (Bacho), a great man who had spent his life as sacristan and bell-ringer, was dying and was asking to see me.
"Bacho," over the years, had put together a fascinating morse code of bell ringing that passed all sorts of messages to the people of Huasahuasi and surrounding annexes.
I travelled up to see him this one last time. It was a great moment for us both. Better still, I was surprised to find Hector back in charge of the seed potato project.
Strapped for cash and without government support this time, he has a hard furrow to plough. I have that much confidence in Hector's ability and his honesty; I promised him I would try to raise funds.

This, only on the condition he gave his word he would stay in charge for as long as it was acceptable to the people. Hector promised he would and so I call for help for Huasahuasi and its small farmers. The laboratory is still there but needs its equipment repaired. The nursery glass housing is fine, but needs lots of renovation. Hector's initiative had restored life to the town after the trauma provoked by the years of terrorism the people suffered. His renewed involvement now gives a second chance of recovery from all that the people have suffered. The possibilities are enormous. Better still it's not band-aid help I seek. It will serve to help the people to get on their feet and help one another. Once underway the project is self-supporting.

Potato farmers from all over the country would willingly buy the new strains produced. It's labour intensive and therefore certainly good for the economy of the town. I am quite sure that the collapse of the initial project has taught every one a huge lesson. No one will want that to happen again.

Fr Leo Donnelly first went to Peru in 1958.


Year of the Potato

The United Nations has declared 2008 as the Year of the Potato. US Scientists have found that all modern varieties of potatoes can be traced back to a single source - a potato grown in Peru 7,000 years ago. Farmers in Peru's high Andes are among the poorest in the country, with average incomes of under US$1 (AUD$1.06) per day. Yet these farmers are sitting on something of a goldmine for the region is home to some 3,000 native varieties. These bear little resemblance to the familiar staple of Western diets - many are brightly coloured (inside and out) and strangely shaped, as well as vitamin-packed and organically grown. Some 300 million tonnes of potatoes are produced around the world yearly. China is the world's largest producer with an output of 70 million tonnes (more than 20% of the world's harvest). Consumption is 30kgs per capita per annum. China is an increasingly important global supplier and potatoes also provide a valuable source of income especially for farmers in mountainous areas with poor soils.
The Irish were the first Europeans to welcome the potato in the early 17th century. Today they consume 106kgs per capita per annum. Britain consumes 114kgs, a good deal more than France, Netherlands or Germany, but well below Poland (127) Russia (141) and Belarus with a massive 340kgs per capita per annum.

- For more information on the Year of the Potato see: www.potato2008.org/