Did you know these foods existed? - What in the World podcast, BBC World Service

Key Concepts

• Forgotten foods/crops: Underutilized or neglected plant species with nutritional and climate resilience benefits.
• Monoculture: The practice of growing a single crop species in a large area, leading to reduced biodiversity and increased vulnerability to diseases and climate change.
• Green Revolution: A period in the 1950s and 60s marked by significant advances in agricultural science, leading to increased crop yields but also contributing to monoculture.
• Seed sharing: The practice of exchanging seeds among farmers and communities to promote crop diversity and resilience.
• Gene editing: A technology used to modify the genes of organisms, potentially enhancing desirable traits like disease resistance.
• Crop diversity: The variety of plant species and varieties grown for food, contributing to resilience and nutritional security.

The Importance of Forgotten Foods

The discussion centers on the concept of "forgotten foods" and their potential role in addressing food security challenges in the face of climate change. These are crops that have been cultivated for centuries by indigenous and local communities but are not widely grown or consumed globally.

The Problem of Monoculture

• Limited Crop Diversity: 60% of plant-based calories come from rice, maize, and wheat.
• Example: Apples: While there are 7500 apple varieties, supermarkets typically offer only 5-6.
• Origins in the Green Revolution: Scientific advances in the 1950s and 60s led to the selection of high-yielding, disease-resistant crops, resulting in monoculture.
• Industrialization of Food: Large companies invest in reliable crops, pushing out other varieties.
• Risks of Monoculture: Increased vulnerability to diseases and climate change impacts.

Case Study: The Cavendish Banana

• Dominance: 95% of the global banana crop is the Cavendish variety.
• Threat: The Cavendish banana is susceptible to Tropical Race four (Panama disease), a fungus that has destroyed crops in over 100 countries.
• Lack of Alternatives: Limited availability of other banana varieties to fall back on.

Examples of Forgotten Foods

• Fonio: A gluten-free millet grown in West Africa, rich in minerals like magnesium. It is resilient to climate change and contributes to nutritional security.
• False Banana (Ensete): A plant grown in Ethiopia that can feed 20 million people. Scientists believe it could feed 100 million globally as the world warms. The trunk can be used to make bread, the roots for porridge, and the leaves for building homes.

The Role of Genetic Diversity

• Resistance to Disease: Forgotten crops possess a storehouse of genetic diversity, potentially offering resistance to diseases.
• Adaptation to Climate Change: These crops may be more adaptable to changing growing conditions, such as drought.
• Reintroduction of Varieties: Farmers can reintroduce forgotten rice strains that are better adapted to new, drier conditions.

Challenges to Adoption

• Safety of Monoculture: Monoculture is perceived as safer due to its reliability.
• Time, Space, and Money: Experimenting with wild or forgotten crops requires significant resources.
• Risk of Failed Harvests: Farmers may be hesitant to try new crops due to the risk of crop failure.
• Seed Availability: Obtaining seeds for forgotten crops can be difficult.

Seed Sharing and Legal Restrictions

• Seed Sharing: A method of spreading seeds among farmers and communities to promote diversity.
• Kenya's Seed Law: In Kenya, it is illegal to share or sell traditional seeds unless certified by the government.
• Arguments Against the Law: Small-scale farmers rely on informal seed exchange, and the law may benefit multinational corporations.
• Court Case: Farmers have challenged the law in court, arguing that it criminalizes their way of life.

Other Solutions: Gene Editing

• Potential Benefits: Gene editing can be used to enhance desirable traits, such as disease resistance.
• Controversy: Some oppose gene editing due to concerns about altering the DNA of species.
• Example: Cavendish Banana: Scientists are inserting a gene from a wild banana species into the Cavendish banana to protect it from the fungus.

The Future of Food

• Insect Consumption: Crickets are being developed as a high-protein, cheap food source.
• Challenges to Changing Diets: Changing global food production and consumption patterns is a significant challenge.
• Focus on Staple Crops: Increasing diversity in staple crops like rice could have a major impact on food security.

Notable Quotes

• Philippa Ryan (ethnobotanist at Kew Gardens): "It's important to diversify the range of crops by growing a wider range of species from the point of view of resilience to climate change... and also for our nutritional security."

Technical Terms

• Ethnobotanist: A scientist who studies the relationship between people and plants.
• Seed bank: A facility that stores and preserves seeds to maintain genetic diversity.
• Millets: A group of small-seeded cereal grasses.
• Aridity: The state of being dry or lacking moisture.

Logical Connections

The discussion progresses from identifying the problem of limited crop diversity and monoculture to exploring potential solutions, including the use of forgotten foods, seed sharing, and gene editing. It also addresses the challenges and controversies associated with these solutions.

Conclusion

The main takeaway is that increasing crop diversity, particularly by utilizing forgotten foods, is crucial for enhancing food security and resilience in the face of climate change. However, significant challenges remain in changing global food production and consumption patterns, and a multi-faceted approach is needed to address these challenges.