THE Covid-19 pandemic has negatively affected and disrupted school feeding schemes, other food programmes and thousands of households after breadwinners lost their jobs.
As a result, the rising food insecurity and the loss of livelihoods in the wake of the pandemic have thrust the spotlight on the growing triple burden of malnutrition facing vulnerable households.
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There has been a significant challenge amid the local context of high unemployment and poverty levels, this triple burden of malnutrition refers to the three concurrent threats of under-nutrition, over-nutrition or obesity, and hidden hunger or micro-nutrient deficiencies arising from factors such as a poor diet.
Potatoes’ role in improving dietary health
First, when cooked correctly and with skins on, this highly economical staple food offers several nutritional benefits compared to other starches.
Importantly, potatoes offer a natural, unprocessed source of complex carbohydrates for sustained energy, and contain a host of important vitamins and minerals which are vital in combatting under-nutrition and nutritional deficiencies.
These include potassium, vitamins B1, B3 and B6, chromium, niacin, folate, copper, iodine, iron, phosphorous, manganese, magnesium, zinc and calcium.
A single 150g skin-on potato provides nearly half an adult’s recommended daily amount of vitamin C.
Uplifting lives and livelihoods
It is important to note that South Africa’s potato industry stands out as a major economic contributor, employing some 60 000 temporary and permanent farm workers around the country, many of whom are low-skilled workers.
The industry is also a significant economic contributor that generates about R8-billion at the primary sector or direct production level, and a further R25-billion at the secondary or manufacturing level.
