Proclamation of May 30th as International Day of Potato.

 Resolution A/RES/78/123

The General Assembly,

 Reaffirming its resolution 70/1 of 25 September 2015, entitled “Transforming our world: the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development”, in which it adopted a comprehensive, far-reaching and people-centred set of universal and transformative Sustainable Development Goals and targets, its commitment to working tirelessly for the full implementation of the Agenda by 2030, its recognition that eradicating poverty in all its forms and dimensions, including extreme poverty, is the greatest global challenge and an indispensable requirement for sustainable development, its commitment to achieving sustainable development in its three dimensions – economic, social and environmental – in a balanced and integrated manner, and to building upon the achievements of the Millennium Development Goals and seeking to address their unfinished business, Reaffirming also its resolution 53/199 of 15 December 1998 and Resolution 61/185 of 20 December 2006 on the proclamation of international years, and Economic and Social Council resolution 1980/67 of 25 July 1980 on international years and anniversaries, in particular paragraphs 1 to 10 of the annex thereto on the agreed criteria for the proclamation of international years, as well as paragraphs 13 and 14, in which it is stated that an international year should not be proclaimed before the basic arrangements for its organization and financing have been made, Welcoming resolution 3/2023 of 7 July 2023, entitled “International Day of the Potato”, adopted by the Conference of the Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations at its forty-third session,

Recalling that the International Year of the Potato in 2008 has contributed to raising awareness of the role of the potato in agriculture, the economy and world food security, 

Recognizing that Andean Indigenous Peoples, through their traditional knowledge and practices of living well, in harmony with nature, have originated, diversified, maintained, controlled, protected and preserved the potato in its natural state, including its many varieties and landraces, as food for present and future generations, 

Recognizing also that the potato represents one of the most important contributions of the Andean region to the entire world, as it is one of the five main food crops consumed in the world, contributing to food security, 

Recognizing further that small-scale and family farming production of the potato, particularly by rural farmers, including women farmers, supports efforts to reduce hunger, malnutrition and poverty, and achieve food security, and relies on and contributes greatly to the conservation and sustainable use of biodiversity, 

Recognizing the decisive importance of this tuber crop for agricultural development, from the phase of pre-production, production, marketing, added value and promotion of consumption, highlighting the conservation and sustainable use of biodiversity, food security and nutrition, and standard-setting, Stressing the need to raise awareness of the multiple nutritional, economic, environmental and cultural values of the potato and its contribution as an invaluable food resource and as a generator of income for rural families and producers, with a view to implementing the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development and achieving its Sustainable Development Goals, Trusting that the observance of an international day will create a comprehensive platform to assess the problems and dynamics of sustainable potato production to transform agrifood systems,

1. Decides to designate 30 May as the International Day of Potato; 

2. Invites all Member States, organizations of the United Nations system, other international and regional organizations and other relevant stakeholders, including civil society, Indigenous Peoples, the private sector and academia, as well as schools, to observe the International Day, as appropriate, through activities aimed at raising awareness of the importance of the potato and its economic, social and environmental impact on food security and nutrition and ecosystem functions, and to share best practices in this regard; 

3. Invites the Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations to facilitate the observance of the International Day, mindful of the provisions contained in the annex to Economic and Social Council resolution 1980/67; 

4. Stresses that the costs of all the activities that may arise from the implementation of the present resolution should be met through voluntary contributions, including from the private sector; 

5. Invites all relevant stakeholders to contribute to and support the International Day; 

6. Requests the Secretary-General to bring the present resolution to the attention of all Member States, the organizations of the United Nations system and other relevant civil society, Indigenous Peoples, the private sector and academia, including civil society, Indigenous Peoples, the private sector and academia, for appropriate observance. 

47th plenary meeting 8 December 2023.