Neglected & Underutilized Species
Although thousands of edible plant species have been cultivated and collected by humans throughout history, modern agriculture is dominated by just three staples - rice, maize and wheat and handful of other commodity crops. The bulk of research attention in the last century has been devoted to a very small number of species, which is reflected in increasingly homogeneous farming landscapes and diets around the globe. The crops overlooked by agricultural development are at risk of being lost as the knowledge on their use is progressively forgotten.
Neglected and underutilized species are those to which little attention is paid or which are entirely ignored by agricultural researchers, plant breeders and policymakers. They are wild or semi-domesticated varieties and non-timber forest species that are not typically traded as commodities. - Padulosi, Thompson and Rudebjer (2013) [1]
Addressing Global Challenges with NUS
Broadening research and development attention to the 'neglected and underutilized species', or NUS for short, could be central in strengthening food security, alleviating poverty, and increasing the resilience and sustainability of farming systems. This is because:
- Many NUS are adapted to marginal environments. They can thrive under low-input and stressful growing conditions that limit agricultural productivity around the world and will become more prevalent with climate change;
- Many NUS are highly nutritious, such that they can contribute to healthier diets worldwide and particularly for the rural poor;
- Some NUS have potential for development as novel consumer products to generate income for smallholder farmers and their communities;
- NUS are typically embedded within local cultural traditions, such that their greater use could strengthen local identities and contribute to empower marginalized communities.
We are researching how to leverage these potentials to achieve food security and sustainability outcomes. Check out our Initiatives [2] for more information on our work. Also check out our list of example neglected and underutilized species [3].
[4]- Fighting poverty, hunger and malnutrition with neglected and underutilized species -needs, challenges and the way forward. [5] Padulosi et al 2013.
- Underutilized plant species: what are they? [6] Padulosi and Hoeschle-Zeledon 2004
- Underutilized crops: trends, challenges and opportunities in the 21st Century. [7] Padulosi et al 2002.
- Conservation and use of genetic resources of underutilized crops in the Americas: a continental analysis. [8] Galuzzi et al 2014.
- On farm conservation of neglected and underutilized species: status trends and novel approaches to cope with climate change. [9] Padulosi et al (eds) 2011.
- Diversifying food and diets using agricultural biodiversity to improve nutrition and health [10]. Fanzo et al (eds) 2013
Publications
- Fighting poverty, hunger and malnutrition with neglected and underutilized species -needs, challenges and the way forward. [5] Padulosi et al 2013.
- Underutilized plant species: what are they? [6] Padulosi and Hoeschle-Zeledon 2004
- Underutilized crops: trends, challenges and opportunities in the 21st Century. [7] Padulosi et al 2002.
- Conservation and use of genetic resources of underutilized crops in the Americas: a continental analysis. [8] Galuzzi et al 2014.
- On farm conservation of neglected and underutilized species: status trends and novel approaches to cope with climate change. [9] Padulosi et al (eds) 2011.
- Diversifying food and diets using agricultural biodiversity to improve nutrition and health [10]. Fanzo et al (eds) 2013
Links in this page
- [1] http://www.nuscommunity.org/resources/our-publications/publication/fighting-poverty-hunger-and-malnutrition-with-neglected-and-underutilized-species-needs-challeng/
- [2] http://www.nuscommunity.org/initiatives/
- [3] http://www.nuscommunity.org/nus/neglected-underutilized-species/species-list/
- [4] http://www.nuscommunity.org/fileadmin/templates/nuscommunity.org/upload/images/Page_Images/infograph.png
- [5] http://www.nuscommunity.org/resources/our-publications/publications/fighting-poverty-hunger-and-malnutrition-with-neglected-and-underutilized-species-needs-challeng/
- [6] http://www.mtnforum.org/sites/default/files/publication/files/3800.pdf
- [7] http://www.moringanews.org/doc/GB/GFU/Document8.pdf
- [8] http://www.mdpi.com/2071-1050/6/2/980
- [9] http://www.nuscommunity.org/resources/our-publications/publications/on-farm-conservation-of-neglected-and-underutilized-species-status-trends-and-novel-approaches-to-c/
- [10] http://www.bioversityinternational.org/e-library/publications/detail/diversifying-food-and-diets/
All content on this website is licensed under a
Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial-NoDerivs 3.0 Unported License