underutilized-crops
Underutilized crops are domesticated plant species with established roles in local food systems, medicine, or culture that have received little attention from mainstream agricultural research and global commodity markets. Studying these crops is valuable to plant science because they often harbor unique genetic diversity, stress tolerance traits, and nutritional profiles not found in widely commercialized species. Understanding their biology can advance knowledge of crop adaptation, food security, and sustainable agriculture in the face of climate change and dietary diversification needs.
open_in_new WikipediaPubMed · 2026-03-24
A global initiative called VACS is working to bring neglected African crops like amaranth, finger millet, and taro into mainstream agriculture to make food systems more resilient to climate change and improve nutrition.
Global food systems are dangerously dependent on a small number of staple crops, leaving them exposed to climate shocks and nutritional gaps.
Seven specific opportunity crops — amaranth, Bambara groundnut, finger millet, okra, pigeon pea, sesame, and taro — are identified as high-priority targets for modernized breeding and market development.
The VACS initiative applies lessons from successful major crop programs, advocating for market-guided prioritization and grassroots science networks to scale impact.
