NUS

Neglected Underutilized crop Species, commonly known as NUS, have attracted much attention throughout the past decades, with a particular focus devoted to a selection of crops only thus resulting in increasingly homogeneous farming landscapes and diets around the globe. As such, broadening research and development attention to NUS could be central in strengthening food security, alleviating poverty, and increasing the resilience and sustainability of farming systems. Within the EWA-BELT Project, the evaluation, selection, and test of the NUS has been performed according to their high potential in terms of yields, drought resistance, nutritional properties, disease resistances and commercial value. The task has identified what is currently known in terms of environmental, agronomic and quality aspects of such crops and their potential uses in Africa through a literature review (A), surveys and interviews (B) with outstanding food writers. The knowledge gathered will be used to create a public database to make the findings accessible to multiple stakeholders.