Climate-resilient minor crops for food security

Abstract

Global sustainable development goal was aimed at poverty and hunger-free world through food and nutritional security. Over decades, crops genetic and production improvement was focused only on major cereals and commercial crops. However, climate change has distressed the genetic potential of some traditional crops and thereby negatively influenced sustainable intensification in tropical and subtropical environments. Small grains such as millets, quinoa, chia, wild rice, teff, Amaranthus, etc. have demonstrated the ability to tolerate environmental stresses and showed the potential to thrive in changing climate. Therefore, climate-resilient nutri-cereals and other neglected crops have the future of food and farm security. Further, these crops cater to nutritional demands of increasing population. Systematic address efforts on socio-economic, political and genetic improvements, technological advancements and policy changes facilitating the adoption of these crops will improve food and nutritional security in the context of climate change. This review summarizes the potential role of underutilized crops towards food and nutritional security under the changing climate.