Español: ACP Ciencia y Tecnología Programa.

The erosion of indigenous food culture contributes to diet-related health problems and reduces income opportunities. Diets rich in energy but poor in nutritional elements are replacing traditional biodiversity-rich dishes whose vitamins and micro-nutrients would contribute to nutritional security and reduce incidence of obesity and cardiovascular diseases. Because of decades of under-investment, the human and institutional capacities required for research, marketing and knowledge sharing on agricultural biodiversity – in particular on neglected and underutilised species (NUS) – are weak or even absent. The significant research support systems that commodity crop scientists benefit from are minimal for young scientists who are interested in researching and developing alternative species.