ABSTRACT

Orphan Crops for Sustainable Food and Nutrition Security discusses the issues, challenges, needs and opportunities related to the promotion of orphan crops, known also as neglected and underutilized species (NUS).

The book is structured into six parts, covering the following themes: introduction to NUS, approaches, methods and tools for the use enhancement of NUS, integrated conservation and use of minor millets, nutritional and food security roles of minor millets, stakeholders and global champions, and, building an enabling environment. Presenting a number of case studies at the regional and country levels, the chapters cover different but highly interlinked aspects along the value chains, from acquisition and characterization of genetic diversity, cultivation and harvesting to value addition, marketing, consumption and policy for mainstreaming. Cross-cutting issues like gender, capacity building and empowerment of vulnerable groups are also addressed by authors. Representatives from communities, research for development agencies and the private sector also share their reflections on the needs for the use enhancement of NUS from their own perspectives.

This book will be of great interest to students and scholars of food security, sustainable agriculture, nutrition and health and development, as well as practitioners and policymakers involved in building more resilient food and production systems.

part I|160 pages

Introduction to Neglected and Underutilized Species (NUS)

chapter 1|16 pages

NUS

What they are and why we need them more than ever

chapter 8|9 pages

Promoting buckwheat in China

chapter 10|10 pages

Neglected and underutilized species in Brazil

From obscurity to non-conventional edible plants

part II|64 pages

Approaches, methods and tools for the use enhancement of NUS

chapter 15|16 pages

Enhancing the use of underutiliZed food crops

Partnerships in a success story of a pop cereal business in Kenya

chapter 18|9 pages

Slow Food and NUS

Protecting and promoting endangered food products

part III|67 pages

Integrated conservation and use of minor millets

chapter 19|10 pages

Conservation and utilization of small millets genetic resources

Global and Indian perspectives

chapter 22|10 pages

Taking millets to the millions

Experiences from government-driven value chains

part IV|42 pages

Nutritional and food security roles of minor millets

chapter 28|8 pages

The smart food approach

The importance of the triple bottom line and diversifying staples

part V|50 pages

Stakeholders and global champions

part VI|42 pages

Building an enabling environment