Overview:

This briefing paper examines the role of neglected and underutilized species (NUS) in improving diets, particularly for Indigenous Peoples and Smallholder Farmers (IPSHF) in Myanmar, Peru, Vietnam, and Zimbabwe under the Sowing Diversity = Harvesting Security (SD=HS) Program (2014-2018). The study highlights how NUSs contribute to food security, dietary diversity, and resilience against seasonal hunger. It also explores the challenges that limit the integration of NUS into mainstream agricultural and nutrition policies. A key focus is on gender dynamics, emphasizing the role of women in preserving and utilizing NUS.

Key Findings:

• Nutritional Value of Traditional Crops

NUSs are crucial for dietary diversification, providing essential micronutrients often missing from staple foods: rich in essential micronutrients such as vitamin A, iron, and zinc, which are critical for child development, adolescent growth, and maternal health. Traditional crops like berro (Nasturtium officinale) and oca (Oxalis tuberosa) provide dietary diversity, particularly during seasonal hunger periods (over 70% of surveyed households). Women play a key role in managing and utilizing NUS, ensuring biodiversity conservation, household nutrition and food security, yet they remain marginalized in agricultural decision-making.

• Potential for Humanitarian Aid and Emergency Situations

NUS can serve as a vital food source during crises due to their adaptability to harsh environments and resistance to climate-related stresses. These species provide a sustainable solution for food assistance programs in Africa, where seasonal hunger and malnutrition persist. Their integration into food relief efforts can reduce dependence on imported staples, enhancing local food sovereignty.

• Challenges for farmers in scaling up NUS Production

Many NUS are not commercially available (lack of value chains), and farmers lack access to quality seeds and propagation materials. Women, who hold key knowledge on NUS, often lack decision-making power in agricultural policies. Some NUS are perceived as “poor people's food”, discouraging wider adoption and consumption. NUS receive minimal funding and attention from agricultural research institutions.

Recommandations:

1. Strengthening Policy and Institutional Support : Integrate NUS into national agricultural policies and food security strategies, develop incentives for farmers and entrepreneurs to invest in NUS-based products, encourage research on NUS nutritional value, seed improvement, and climate resilience.

2. Empowering Women and Smallholder Farmers: Provide capacity-building programs to support women's role in food systems, improve access to credit, land, and markets for small-scale NUS producers.

3. Enhancing Market Access and Awareness: Promote NUS through public campaigns, school programs, and culinary innovations, develop value chains that connect farmers with local and international markets.

4. Leveraging NUS for Humanitarian and Emergency Aid: include nutrient-rich NUS in food relief programs to combat malnutrition, establish community-based seed banks for rapid response in food crises.

5. Addressing Climate Resilience and Biodiversity Conservation: encourage agroecological practices that support sustainable NUS farming, protect traditional knowledge systems through legal frameworks and participatory programs.

Neglected and underutilized species have significant potential to improve nutrition, especially for vulnerable groups such as children, adolescents, and women of reproductive age. However, challenges related to market access, gender disparities, and policy neglect must be addressed. Integrating NUS into food security strategies, humanitarian aid, and local agricultural systems can play a crucial role in enhancing dietary diversity and resilience against food insecurity, particularly in Africa.