International Year of the Potato relationship that exists between poverty, food security, malnutrition and the potential contribution of the potato to defeating hunger." This was one of many international observances declared for specific days, months and years. The year 2008 was shared with the International Year of Sanitation. It was hoped that International Year designation will do for the potato what the International Year of Rice (2004) did for that food staple, namely, inspire exhibits, educational programs, films, publications and greater public awareness of multi-national efforts on behalf of our food resources. The year 2008 was also designated the National Year of the Potato in
International Year of Sanitation International Year of Sanitation The year 2008 was declared the International Year of Sanitation by the United Nations in conjunction with the Water for Life Decade. The United Nations General Assembly has declared 2008 the International Year of Sanitation. Worldwide there are roughly 2.6 billion people who do not have access to basic sanitation today. The goal of 2008 as the International Year of Sanitation was to help raise awareness of this crisis and to accelerate progress towards reaching the UN’s Millennium Development Goals (MDG’s) and cutting the number of people without access to basic sanitation in half by the