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  • Publication | 2022

Diversity and Diversification: Ecosystem Services Derived From Underutilized Crops and Their Co-benefits for Sustainable Agricultural Landscapes and Resilient Food Systems in Africa

Global Food and Nutrition Security

Overview:

This systematic review explores the ecosystem services provided by neglected and underutilised species (NUS) and their potential role in promoting sustainable food systems in Africa. Using the Ecosystem Services classification developed in The Economics of Ecosystems and Biodiversity (TEEB) framework, the study aims to examine how NUS contribute to:  

  • Provisioning services: food, feed, raw material, medicinal products 
  • Regulating services: soil health, nutrient cycling, carbon sequestration, soil erosion control, reduction of greenhouse gases emissions, and hydrological control processes  
  • Habitat and Support services: habitat for species and maintenance of genetic diversity 
  • Cultural services: cultural heritage and identity, customs, traditions and local knowledge 

Main Findings:

Provisioning services:

  • NUS have a high macro and micronutrients content, in particular, potassium, calcium, magnesium, and zinc, and vitamins such as K, C, E, and folate, essential oils and bioactive compounds such as flavonoids, antioxidants, phenolics, and carotenoids.  
  • This makes them ideal nutritional supplements for people with compromised immune systems (e.g., HIV/AIDS) and reduces the incidence of non-communicable diseases (NCDs).  
  • Some NUS are high in iron and thus good for people with anemia.  
  • Some NUS have anti-diarrheal, anti-diabetic, anti-viral and anti-bacterial properties and/or are used to alleviate pain  

Regulating services:

  • Several NUS are nitrogen-fixing crops: they thus require less fertilisation, can regulate the nutrient cycle and improve soil health and fertility 
  • NUS have generally a lower carbon footprint than most major staple crops 
  • Several NUS tend to be more resistant to pests and diseases compared to some commonly grown crops. Consequently, they are less reliant on application of chemical pesticides, which in turn mitigates the environmental impacts derived from the use of agrochemicals (water pollution, negative effects on biodiversity). However, evidence to this regard if often anecdotal and more empirical data are needed.  

Habitat and Support services: NUS contribute the maintenance of genetic diversity as NUS species are more genetically diverse that major staple crops. Higher genetic diversity in agroecosystem is generally associated to higher occurrence of wildlife and increased resilience to biotic and abiotic stressors.   

Cultural services: Some NUS, especially leafy vegetables, are associated to cultural traditions with high symbolic relevance like burial rituals and funeral ceremonies.  Some are used for spiritual healing. Some NUS are culturally associated to traditional crop management practices that are more environmentally friendly than those applied to the main crops. 

Other benefits:

Evidence indicates that some NUS can be sold to supplement household income, thereby providing safety nets though diversified sources of income and reduced farmers vulnerability to external shocks. In particular, given the seasonal differences in the availability of NUS and common crops, the integration of NUS in agricultural system can help ensuring a year-round supply of food. Women play a significant role in the production and promotion of NUS; NUS valorisation can thus contribute to women economic empowerment and gender equality, if value chains are established 

Reported negative aspects: False sesame requires additional preparations to become more palatable and avoid laxative effects; the processing of gari (roasted cassava granule; Manihot esculenta) can determine excessive water consumption and water pollution  

Policy Implications:

The above-identified positive attributes of NUS can support the achievement of the objectives of several African policies including:  

  • the 2014 Malabo Declaration on Accelerated Agricultural Growth and Transformation for Shared Prosperity and Improved Livelihoods; it commits to end hunger by 2025 and support inclusive agricultural growth and enhanced climate resilience. NUS can contribute by improving the resilience of agricultural systems and supporting gender equality 
  • the Comprehensive Africa Agriculture Development Programme (CAADP), which aims at improving agricultural productivity and increase public investments in agriculture. Nus can support increased productivity due to their lower input erquirements 
  • the Regional Agricultural Policy of the Southern Africa Development Community. It seeks to contribute to sustainable agricultural growth and socio-economic development through increased productivity, improved trade and better access to markets. A strategic focusing on NUS can help meeting dome of these objectives