ABSTRACT
This chapter provides a general and brief survey of neglected and underutilised species (NUS) from Oceania, covering broadly the islands of the Pacific, including Melanesia, Polynesia and Micronesia, as well as New Zealand and Australia. This geographical region hosts unique agro-ecosystems comprising an equal diversity of wild and cultivated plant species that, at one time or another, have been used for food. However, today only a small fraction of this diversity is regularly used or found in diets, markets and value-chains. Some of the factors that have undermined local agriculture and agrobiodiversity are examined, as are the impacts this has had on food systems, diets and nutrition. Finally, some key NUS that could potentially help address nutritional and other challenges in the region are highlighted, and recent efforts to promote them are discussed.
