Poor Coummunities
By Rachel Chun
Description and Rationale
The potatoes are one of the most popular vegetable in the home garden. They’re easy to grow, and are a healthy item to enjoy. Potatoes are a source of nearly every vitamin. IIt is also a good source of fiber which has a role in regulating GI functioning and lowers the body cholesterol “Potatoes may become more popular in the Philippines due to the rising cost of rice. The cost of some local grains has risen for more than 30 percent in a year. Rice is a political commodity in the Philippines. People could strike against the government if there’s a shortage to buy rice. Potatoes could be eaten instead of the rice.
Could Filipinos live by eating potatoes like many western people do? What is causing the potatoes to not grow big and healthy like the sweet potatoes? How many times do Filipino farmers harvest in a year? What are the best ways to plant potatoes in the home garden? Could the potatoes have an impact on the local ecology and people’s livelihood? What are some ways to prevent the rice crisis with the potato? How do farmers plant the potatoes? What kind of fertilizer do they use during its growth? What bacteria or a source might be causing the potatoes to not be produced as much as sweet potatoes? Potatoes and sweet potatoes grow at the same soil temperature, but why there are huge amounts of sweet potatoes, but the lesser amount of potatoes in the Philippines?
In the Philippines there is not enough rice to feed 90 million people per day. Most of the western people eat potatoes instead of rice for their meal(s). They harvest more potatoes than the rice. Potato gives the same amount of energy as rice. Potatoes could be a solution for the Philippines daily food. Even in North Korea, people eat potatoes for their meal(s). North Korea doesn’t harvest rice so much, because the country is poor and has no money. North Koreans eat potatoes rather than eating the rice. In North Korea there are more than one hundred kinds of potato. Like these countries, the Philippines could overcome the rice problems. The squatter villagers’ wouldn’t starve to death by not eating the rice.
The main purpose of this project is to research the possibilities of increasing potato to develop the local ecology and people’s livelihood. Teach them how to plant and cultivate the potatoes in their home gardens. Introduce the ways of making makeups with potatoes. This potato project will be introduced to the squatter villagers. This project will affect the squatter villagers’ the most, because many of them has no money to buy the rice. Hope that through this project, Filipinos could upgrade their livelihood. This project is not only for the farmers, but for all the Filipinos.
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Biology
Common Names and Synonyms
Solanum tuberosum is also called the “annual plant”. To Old World farmers, it’s also known as the potato, since potatoes grow underground and they are widely cultivated for their tubers. Other synonyms include Potatas (Philippines); Chuño (Inca); Gam Ja (S.Korea); Quechua/Papa (Lantin America); Patata (Spanish);
"O Creator! Thou who givest life to all things and hast made men that they may live, and multiply. Multiply also the fruits of the earth, the potatoes and other food that thou hast made, that men may not suffer from hunger and misery."
http://whatscookingamerica.net/History/PotatoHistory.htm
Classification
Kingdom: Plantae (plant)
Phylum: Magnoliophyta (flowering plant)
Class: Magnoliopsida (dicotyledon I dicot)
Order: Solanales (flowering plant)
Family: Solanaceae (flowering plant)
Genus: Solanum (annual plant)
Species: S.tuberosum (perennial plant
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Morphology and Physical Description
The shape of the Solanum tuberosum or potato is round or oval. The roots can extend to a depth of 22 inches. The maximum size of potato is 5a ounces which contain about 100 calories, no fat, 26 grams carbohydrate, 3 grams fiber, 21 percent potassium, 45 percent vitamin C, and other nutrients. The absence of light and temperature underground and moisture conditions influence tuberization of the actual growth of the roots into new potatoes. When tubers are formed the needed nutrients are produced more readily. Once the tubers are initiated, the growth of all organs is retarded and the tubers become the dominant.
Potato tubers are the underground stem that potatoes are produced. The features of potato tubers are their eyes, which are small nodes with buds. The buds and tuber will turn green when tubers are exposed to light.
There are potential poisonous parts in potatoes. The eyes of the potato and potatoes which are already begun sprouting are safe to use, but they don’t keep well. They may blacken when they are cooked. Always remove the sprouts before they are used. However, green potatoes or any green part of a potato should never be eaten. The green potatoes or its part contains the alkaloid, “solarin” which is poisonous. Cut these off and discard before using.
Internally, the thin-walled cells called of a potato tuber which is called parenchyma are filled with starch-storage organelles called amyloplasts. A potato is really a collection of thousands of cells all stacked on top of one another. Potatoes are a good source of vitamins. A medium-size potato provides 1/3 of recommended daily amount of vitamin C for an average adult. Potatoes also supply thiamin, niacin, iron, carbohydrates and small amounts of vegetable protein.
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Getting Food
Potatoes are just like any other plants. Solanum tuberosum or the potato is the autographs. They mostly get food source from light. They absorb water and store it. The best fertilizer for them is the wastes from the animals which has lots of nutrition. Potatoes are the cultivars. Potato roots get nutritious food such as bacteria animal wastes from soil and search water. Bacteria strength potatoes root. Light, temperature and moisture soil affect potatoes to grow better and healthier.
Reproduction
One of the tubers of a potato can create new organisms with the same genetic makeup. When rain drops hit the potatoes, these structures are splashed out and germinate into new potatoes. With these structures, many clones can be formed from one original parent. Potatoes reproduce asexually. Potatoes are cultivated from potato seeds, using either whole potatoes called seed tubers or cut potatoes into pieces called seed pieces. The seed tubers or, cut seed pieces has at least 1 eye (bud), which a sprout can grow from. Potatoes die after the tuber is mature so, the potatoes must replant.
Environmental Factors
Potatoes grow best in warm areas with day temperature of 75°F (24℃) and night temperature of 55 °F (13℃). The climate of the Philippines is hot and humid. The hottest months is from March to May, the temperature reach 100°F (38℃). From June to February is the rainy season which is cooler and the temperature falls below 70°F (21℃). Manila has an average temperature of 75°F (24℃) in January and 82°F (28℃) in May. Potatoes can grow in the Philippines, almost all year along. Fungi, bacteria, and viruses cause diseases that attack potatoes. Healthy potato seeds will reduce the chances of disease infecting a potato crop. Farmers should purchase a seed that has been certified as healthy. They require very little water, mature in as little as 50 days, and can yield two-to-four times more food per hectare than wheat or rice. They grow under the ground. During the day they are covered with straw to protect against the burning rays of the sun. Potatoes are best adapted to moist underground soil. Potatoes must be storage after its harvest. Potato storage places should be dark and humid environment with adequate air. Potato storage time will vary, depending on what the potatoes will be used for.
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Origin and Distribution
The potato was cultivated more than 6,000 years ago near Titicaca Lake, on the border between Perú and Bolivia, where the greatest diversity of wild species can be found. The birthplace of the "Irish" white potato that we eat today is in the Andean Mountains of South America, at heights of 4,000 to 6,000 feet. The potato made its way across the Atlantic to plant on the continent of Europe. The potato was cultivated primarily as a curiosity by amateur botanists. Asia has been the greatest expansion of potatoes. Today, over 99% of worldwide cultivated potatoes are descendants of the Chilean subspecies. The potato or Solanum tuberosum was introduced to coastal areas of southern Asia in the late sixteenth or early seventeenth century including the Philippines, by Portuguese mariners
Importance to People
Potatoes have been one of mankind's most important foods for the past millennium. Many people have been saved from hunger and starvation. Potatoes were first used like drugs. The carbohydrates in potatoes provide energy to people’s muscles and brain. There are some main importance that potatoes are important to people. People wouldn’t starve to death, and the country could export the potatoes and get income. Those Filipinos can’t keep up with the cost of rice have eight food alternatives. They can set on their tables instead of rice. The Philippine natural resources research and development suggests cassava, sweet potato, taro, potato, tugui, nami, saba banana and white corn as crop substitutes. These eight foods are cheaper and more nutritious than rice. Filipinos could choose a wider range of food choices to take care of their nutrition. Potatoes are cheaper to produce and buy as well. Households could plant potatoes in their backyards. These crops can reduce hunger. Potatoes are good sources of carbohydrates which gives 78 to 110 kcal per 100 grams of each root crop.
Survivability and Endangered Status
Potatoes can survive as tubers of seeds. Tubers can only overwinter in mild climates or when tubers are buried. Potatoes don’t spread beyond cultivated areas. Only in southern Europe have potatoes was been able to survive outside of cultivation. Animals do not disseminate potato fruits because they are toxic. Any genetic spread is thought to be limited to other cultivated potatoes. It might be hard to grow potatoes in the Philippines, but it is not impossible to grow in the Philippines. The Philippine is a tropical country, but there is still a chance to grow potatoes even though the temperature here is high and humid. Green house is one of the possible solutions. Potato itself has six kinds of potato among them there is a potato that can be produced in the Philippines. India is also a tropical country, but it has the huge amount of cultivated potatoes.
Potential Solutions
Potatoes are well known vegetable in the Philippines. When the Philippines had a hard time strengthening their economy, people ate potatoes for their meals. As rice price goes up the Filipinos started to eat in this way. Potatoes proved to be a dietetic valuable resource. Further research and field studies about the ecology and food webs of the potatoes in the Philippines are necessary to be an asset to the potato cultivating efforts of the poor families living in the Philippines. There are several promising livelihood possibilities that may be able to benefit the street kids and those poor families who are begging money for their food. Below are 3 possibilities with an analysis of the advantages and disadvantages for each.
Possibility 1
POSSIBILITY 1 PLANTING POTATOES IN HOME GARDEN
There are many unoccupied grounds in the Philippines. Why not use them to plant potatoes?
ADVANTAGES:
1. Home gardeners can obtain better result of healthy potatoes, because the home gardeners don’t use pesticides or agriculture chemicals.
2. Growing potatoes in home garden is economical; it doesn’t require a lot of money to operate. Home gardening is the most affective livelihood possibility which could benefit the beggars from their starvation.
3. Home gardeners can observe the progression of the potatoes which they have planted.
4. The home gardeners could have income by selling potatoes.
DISADVANTAGES:
1. Potatoes must be cared all the time. Home gardeners must nourish the potatoes in order to cultivate the healthy potatoes.
2. If one potato root is rotten then all the other roots are
going to rot.
3. Home garden might be damage by an animal or an insect,
because home gardeners don’t use pesticides or agriculture
chemicals in order to produce a fresh and healthy vegetable.
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Possibility 2
POSSIBILITY 2 EAT POTATOES INSTEAD OF RICE
Potatoes with tremendous amount of protein and nutrition, why not eat them instead of rice?
ADVANTAGES:
1. Potato is full of high protein and vitamin which could be
eaten instead of rice. Filipinos sell 1 kilo of potatoes for 50
pesos with has 7 to 10 pieces of potato.
2. Potatoes are easier to cook than rice which could save
the cooking time.
3. Nina, the wife of home gardener, vouches that the potatoes
may be eaten together with rice. Filipinos eat potatoes very
often and now a days, some family’s eat potatoes instead of
rice, because of the price of rice.
4. Since rice price goes up the Filipinos make potato powder
and cook it with rice, because this way of eating meal is
cheaper than just eating rice.
DISADVANTAGES:
1. Potatoes may cause people to slow down their height growth, because only eating the potatoes doesn’t provide all nutrition, vitamin, and protein needs for the person.
2. Potatoes are easier to digest than rice which makes people to get hungry very easily.
3. The Filipinos eat rice for every meal, which is their cultural livelihood. Eating potatoes instead of rice could be a hard challenge for the Filipinos, but there are not many ways that Filipinos can prevent from starvation.
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Possibility 3
POSSIBILITY 3 POTATOES USED AS A MAKE UP
ADVANTAGES:
1. Making makeup’s out of potato is economical,
because people could earn money by selling
them.
2. Filipino women always put makeup’s on their
face’s, whenever they go out. Makeup’s that
are made out of vegetable or fruit is way better
to use than the makeup’s that are made out of
chemicals. This makeup’s has more vitamins
than normal makeup products.
3. The Filipino women could save their money by
using potatoes for their face cleansing form. Filipino women prefer healthy make-up
products than unhealthy makeup products for their faces.
4. People can produce many different kinds of makeup through potatoes. Potatoes can be made as an eye cream, skin liquid, face cleansing form, or lotion.
DISADVANTAGES:
1. Homemade makeups are hard to storage, so it is hard to sell unless it has been storage in good and fresh condition.
2. In order to make a potato massage pack, milk must be added. Milk is expensive and can’t storage for long time of period.
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Bibliography
Marianne, Mark. “Growing Potatoes in Home Garden” Horticulture and Crop Science 20 March 2008.
http://ohioline.osu.edu/hyg-fact/1000/1619.html
Ate Roshel. Personal interview. 17 April 2008.
“Potato.” 15 April 2008.
Nina, the wife of a home gardener. Personal interview. 20 April 2008.
“Idaho Potatoes.” Potato production in home garden. 21 April 2008.
http://132.178.236.111/information/otherprojects/potato/grow2.html
The NSF Genome Project. “ Potato reproduction and Potato biology”. March 2008.
http://www.potatogenome.org/nsf5/potato_biology/reproduction.php
Michael, Mark. “Potatoes from true seed”. June 1987.
http://www.worldandi.com/public/1987/june/ns3.cfm
Ate Grace. Personal interview. 1 May.
“Potatoes”. Potato.com 13 April 2008-05-05
http://www.potato.com/catelog/synonyms.php
“Potatoes”. Wikipedia.org. 11 April 2008.
Http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Potatoes
“Morphology of the Potatoes.” 4 November 1984.
http://www.springerlink.com/content/tp97824g73562622/
Verzola. Personal E-mail interview. 29 April 2008.
Made potato massage pack and tested on my aunt and ate’s faces. 1 May 2008.
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