Potato can help when other crops fail

The breakdown of long-distance commerce in food has worried Bangladesh, particularly because its neighbors have restricted export of rice in apprehension of the world-wide food scarcity.

Bangladesh has a landless and incomeless population of about 20 million, which needs to be provided healthy food either free or at subsidized rates.

About 150 years ago, 50 percent of US farmers (95 per cent of the population) had in their individual ownership consolidated farm lands of at least 1000 acres; 30 percent of farmers owned at least 400 acres in partnership. Today, American farmers constitute only about 4 per cent of the population.