Living in Peru : your everyday companion

(LIP-ir) -- Over 90 world leaders came together in Cusco, Peru for one of the United Nation's main events for the International Year of the Potato.

The main topic discussed was what some scientists have labeled as the "food of the future", the potato.

As the price of cereal increases internationally, the need for an alternative food has become a priority.

Since potatoes can be produced on less land than maize, wheat and rice, they have become a perfect alternative for a market that is seeing an increase in many staple foods.

According to reports issued from the international conference, potatoes are produced in over 100 countries and are a fundamental part of the world's nutrition.

It was reported that potatoes are the number one crop produced in the world after the production of several cereals. The production of potatoes reached a record breaking 320 million tons in 2007.

The conference was held to foster the production of potatoes and endorse it as a product that can greatly benefit third world countries. Ideas were discussed among world leaders on how production could be improved and how higher profits could be made.

The information from dozens of investigations was discussed as well as how the quality of potatoes could be increased by improving the quality of farming material and harvest systems.

Ways on how potatoes could better withstand drastic weather conditions, plagues and a lack of water were also discussed.