Processing, Nutrition and Value Addition Principles of Neglected and Underutilized African Foods

Approximately 6000 edible plants are cultivated for human consumption although only 12 crop species account for the majority of food globally (Hossain et al., 2021). Among these crops, only three cereals, namely, rice, maize and wheat contribute to more than half of the calories consumed by humans. On the other hand, large numbers of minor crops are extensively cultivated by smallholders or subsistence farmers in
the developing world, particularly in Africa, mainly for local consumption. Although these minor crops have limited global significance, they play vital roles in the diet of local communities. In addition to providing income to subsistence farmers, these crops serve as staple foods for most low-income consumers living in many African countries (Cullis & Kunert, 2017; Tadele, 2020, pp. 1–9). These crops are known by different names (Table 1.1.1). These include neglected and underutilized, orphan, abandoned, lost, minor, traditional, indigenous, forgotten alternative crops or crops for the future (Dwyer et al., 2022; Gregory et al., 2019; Mugiyo et al., 2021; Tadele, 2019; van Zonneveld et al., 2023). The same group of crops is also known as indigenous and traditional food crops (ITFCs) (Akinola et al., 2020). The diverse names given to these crops reflect the following characteristics: “neglected” (by science and development), “orphan” (without champions or crop experts), “minor” (relative to global crops), “promising” (for emerging markets, or because of previously
unrecognized value traits), “niche” (of marginal importance in production systems and economies), and “traditional” (used for centuries or even millennia) (Tadele, 2019).

These diverse names do not necessarily refer to the same category of crops. For example, leafy vegetables refer to only a particular group of crops within NUCs or orphan crops. However, the most common and frequently used names referring to these crops are neglected and underutilized crops (NUCs) and orphan crops. To avoid confusion, unless otherwise referring to a specific group of crops, the term NUCs is consistently used throughout the chapter. The NUCs possess several desirable agronomical, nutritional and health-related benefits, which make them favorable crops for food, feed, fiber, oil or medicinal purposes. Despite their huge importance, the global area under NUCs cultivation has been decreasing over time due to the replacement by exotic crops intensive farming (Integrating Africa’s forgotten foods for better nutrition, 2024). The decrease in the cultivation of NUCs might also be due to neglect by the scientific community. The NUCs receive limited research attention and are not traded internationally at a rate comparable to that of the major food crops such as wheat and rice (Talabi et al., 2022). In addition, the potential value and benefits of NUCs to the African food system have not been properly explored (Akinola et al., 2020). This chapter presents information
on the following points referring to African NUCs: (i) types and

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