International Seminar on Neglected and Underutilized Species

Bioversity International is a co-organizer of the International Seminar Old and New Crops To Meet The Challenges Of The XXI Century.

Neglected and underutilized species (NUS) are crops – such as minor millets in South Asia, cañihua and amaranth in Latina America, black nightshade in Africa – that are outside the mainstream of agricultural research and development.  These crops still form the basis of local food systems in small scale agricultural settings of many areas of the world and are often better adapted to grow in harsh conditions.

NUS can play a crucial role in improving peoples’ livelihoods and the resilience of agricultural production systems, adapting to climate change and maintaining the traditional knowledge, culture and identity of local communities. For this to happen, research, collective action and policy interventions are needed.

The International Seminar Old and New Crops To Meet The Challenges Of The XXI Century is a joint effort by many organizations to discuss how neglected and underutilized species can be best mobilized to support the fight against hunger and rural poverty in the world.

Find out more about Bioversity International’s work on NUS:

• Read a blog post by our Senior Scientist Stefano Padulosi who highlights the potential of neglected and underutilized species for food security, in a personal account about eating quinoa cake in Bolivia.

• Watch this video on using NUS to empower women in Bolivia and India

• Read a factsheet on improving community livelihoods by recovering and developing their traditional crop.

The International Seminar Old and New Crops To Meet The Challenges Of The XXI Century is organized by the Chair of Studies on Hunger and Poverty (CEHAP) of the University of Córdoba in collaboration with:

­    Bioversity International
­    The Food and Agriculture Organization of the UN
­    The International Fund for Agricultural Development
­    The International Treaty on Plant Genetic Resources for Food and Agriculture
­    Crops for the Future
­    Slow Food International
­    National Agricultural Research Institute of the Spanish Ministry of Economy and Competitiveness
­    Spanish Ministry of Food, Agriculture and Environment
­    Spanish High National Council on Scientific Research
­    Spanish Agency of International Cooperation for Development
­    Spanish Agrifood Campus of International Excellence
­    University of Córdoba, Spain
­    Provincial Council  of Córdoba, Spain
­    City Council of Córdoba, Spain
­    Spanish Royal Academy of Gastronomy