Contribution of Underutilised Indigenous Crops to Enhanced Food and Nutrition Security in the Advent of Climate Change

Abstract

AbstractThe role of underutilised indigenous crops in food security has become crucial in this time of increased climatic variation as they adapt to local harsh climatic conditions. This chapter highlights the potential contribution of indigenous crops to food and nutritional security, especially in marginalised rural communities. The emphasis is on the distribution and agronomy of underutilised indigenous crops, as these result in improved production and nutrient-dense crops for enhanced food and nutrition security. We focus on a select number of African leafy vegetables (ALVs), including amaranthus (Amaranthus spp.), cowpea (Vigna unguiculata), sweet potato (Ipomoea batatas) and wild mustard (Brassica juncea L.) as some of the popular food plant crops for subsistence farmers in sub-Saharan Africa. These crops were selected because of their short growth period, low input requirements, morphological structure, and similarities in their phenology.KeywordsFood securitySustainable developmentNutrition securityResilience