The Global Forum on Agricultural Research and Innovation (GFAR) highlights a crucial movement: the rediscovery of forgotten foods. These crops, often termed "neglected and underutilized," "orphan crops," or "future smart foods," are increasingly recognized for their power to combat hunger, respond to climate change, promote biodiversity, and improve rural livelihoods.
According to the UN's Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO), these crops are often overlooked by policymakers and researchers, leading to reduced planting, loss of quality seeds, and erosion of traditional knowledge. However, diversifying our diets with these species can enhance nutritional intake and provide economic and environmental benefits, such as sustainable crop rotation and pest cycle disruption.
GFAR's Collective Action on Forgotten Foods
GFAR partners have launched a large-scale Collective Action on Forgotten Foods to create a critical mass of activities and advocacy. This initiative aims to:
- Promote public awareness and create a global knowledge base for stakeholders.
- Foster national multi-stakeholder think tanks and knowledge-sharing hubs.
- Scale up impacts at all levels.
- Develop new metrics based on nutrition, cultural importance, environmental services, climate resilience, women's empowerment, and sustainability.
- Advocate for fair agricultural policies that support forgotten foods.
A key feature is the empowerment and involvement of smallholder farmers in these efforts.
The Rediscovered Foods Initiative (RFI)
Under this Collective Action, The Lexicon of Sustainability, a GFAR partner, announced the Rediscovered Foods Initiative (RFI). Supported by organizations including GFAR, Crop Trust, Crops for the Future, Bioversity International, and others, the RFI aims to tell the story of 25 rediscovered crops.
The RFI plans to achieve this through:
- A television series and a book.
- A traveling exhibit.
- Mentor support for farmers and food entrepreneurs via ten regional Rediscovered Labs.
The initiative highlights how communities are achieving economic self-reliance, food security, and resilience by turning to these forgotten super crops. It will showcase stories from Asia, Africa, and South America, following the migration and adaptation of foods like amaranth, millet, jackfruit, and breadfruit.
What Defines a Rediscovered Food?
RFI uses seven criteria to select these crops, focusing on their ability to:
- Increase biodiversity.
- Provide resilience to climate change.
- Ensure nutrient security via locally sourced, plant-forward diets.
- Offer women better livelihoods.
- Provide farmers with knowledge sharing and crop support.
- Support stakeholders in creating opportunities for social entrepreneurs and stimulating local, circular economies.
- Promote responsible conservation and farming practices.
The Rediscovered Labs
Phase II of the RFI involves ten Rediscovered Labs worldwide. These multi-day educational events, produced by The Future Food Institute, will use case studies of rediscovered foods to inspire replication in other communities. They will feature knowledge sharing, chef and nutritionist showcases to counter the myth of these being "poor people's foods," entrepreneur support, and marketing/communications toolkits.
Crops for the Future is proud to be a partner in this vital initiative, contributing research, crop science, and plant breeding support to help bring these important foods back to the forefront of our food systems.