Food crop diversity is key to sustainability

SciDev.net

, by JONES M. P.

Thousands of traditional crop species could help break dependence on a few global food crops, and offer valuable environmental services, says Monty Jones

Only 150 crop species are grown commercially on a global scale, with wheat and maize alone providing over half of the world’s protein and calorie needs. Another 7,000 species play crucial roles in poor people’s livelihoods but are otherwise underutilised. Read more