The United Nations is seeking photographers to 'capture the spirit of the spud' as part of a competition aimed at raising the profile of the humble¹ tuber for International Year of the Potato.
 
The United Nations is seeking photographers to 'capture the spirit of the spud' as part of a competition aimed at raising the profile of the humble tuber for International Year of the Potato.

Photographers are invited to enter images in a contest to honour the root vegetable's role in fighting hunger and poverty, the UN food agency said Wednesday.

"Photographers who explore the world of the potato will find plenty of subject matter," said the Food and Agriculture Organisation's roots and tubers expert NeBambi Lutaladio.

The contest, part of events marking the International Year of the Potato, will help raise "global awareness² of the potato's key contribution to agriculture, the economy and world food security," FAO said in a statement.

"Fostering improved potato-based systems (will) help countries achieve the Millennium³ Development Goals," the Rome-based agency said.

Photographers are challenged "to capture the spirit of the International Year in images that illustrate⁴ potato biodiversity, cultivation⁵, processing, trade, marketing⁶, consumption and utilisation," the statement said.

The potato is the world's number-four food crop after rice, wheat and maize⁷, with annual production of more than 300 million tonnes in more than 100 countries, the FAO said.

Sponsored by Japanese camera maker⁸ Nikon, the contest has separate categories for professional and amateur photographers and will award prizes totalling 7,200 euros (11,000 dollars).

 
为了庆祝今年的“国际马铃薯年”，联合国日前在全世界范围内开展了一项以“捕捉土豆风采”为主题的摄影大赛，以此提升小土豆的形象。

据联合国粮食署于本周三介绍，这项比赛旨在突出马铃薯在抗击饥饿和贫困方面所发挥的重要作用，世界各地的摄影师可提交以土豆为主题的摄影作品。

联合国粮农组织块茎作物专家内班比•鲁塔拉迪奥说：“通过对马铃薯的研究，摄影师们会发现有很多可做题材。”

粮农组织在一项声明中表示，作为“国际马铃薯年”的庆祝活动之一，这项摄影比赛将使“全世界进一步意识到马铃薯对农业、经济及世界粮食安全所做出的重要贡献”。

位于罗马的联合国粮农组织还说：“培育健全的马铃薯产业体系有助于世界各国实现千年发展目标。”

该声明提出，摄影师们“要通过作品展现马铃薯的生物多样性、耕种方式、加工、贸易、推广、消费及用途，从而彰显‘国际马铃薯年’的精神”。

联合国粮农组织称，马铃薯是仅次于大米、小麦和玉米的世界第四大粮食作物，目前全世界共有100多个国家种植马铃薯，世界年产量超过3亿吨。

该摄影大赛由日本尼康相机制造公司提供赞助，将分为专业组和业余组，奖金总额达到7200欧元（合1.1万美元）。