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)
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:
We are researching how to leverage these potentials to achieve food security and sustainability outcomes. Check out our Initiatives for more information on our work. Also check out our list of example neglected and underutilized species.
