Neglected and Underutilised Plant Species – Contributions and potential for sustainable food systems in Sub-Saharan Africa

Food security is one of the major sustainability challenges facing Sub-Saharan Africa. However, multiple factors constraint the ability of current agricultural systems to produce food crops at the quantity and yields necessary to cater for the growing food needs of the equally growing population. Agricultural systems in the region are often reliant on few major crops and unimproved production practices. Endemic rural poverty, market underdevelopment for many crops, and restrictive land use and agricultural policies further constraint to boost agricultural productivity, especially for smallholder-based systems. At the same time accelerated climate change and environmental degradation put further challenges on the ability of conventional agricultural systems to deliver the food needed by the region’s rising population. Agronomic improvements, diversification strategies and alternative food production systems can help curb these issues, but there are still major knowledge gaps to overcome.

In this nexus of food security, climate change, rural livelihoods, and environmental sustainability there have been calls to leverage the potential of high-yielding Neglected and Underutilised Plant Species (NUS) that are climate-robust and nutrient-rich. Due to their multiple benefits and high potential in some challenging regions there have been calls to enhance NUS utilisation. This Seminar will provide a forum for scientists engaged in NUS research abroad and in Japan to discuss the characteristics, potential and challenges of adopting and utilizing NUS in different African contexts.

gasparatos[at]ifi.u-tokyo.ac.jp
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