Mabhaudhi Tafadzwanashe, Hlahla Sithabile, Chimonyo Vimbayi Grace Petrova, Henriksson Rebecka, Chibarabada Tendai Polite, Murugani Vongai G, Groner Vivienne P, Tadele Zerihun, Sobratee Nafiisa, Slotow Rob, Modi Albert Thembinkosi, Baudron Frédéric, Chivenge Pauline
Centre for Transformative Agricultural and Food Systems, School of Agricultural, Earth and Environmental Sciences, University of KwaZulu-Natal, Pietermaritzburg, South Africa.
International Water Management Institute-Ghana (IWMI-GH), West Africa Office, c/o CSIR, Accra, Ghana.
Front Agron. 2022 May 4;4:859223. doi: 10.3389/fagro.2022.859223.
There are growing calls to adopt more sustainable forms of agriculture that balance the need to increase production with environmental, human health, and wellbeing concerns. Part of this conversation has included a debate on promoting and mainstreaming neglected and underutilized crop species (NUS) because they represent a more ecologically friendly type of agriculture. We conducted a systematic review to determine the ecosystem services derived from NUS and assess their potential to promote functional ecological diversity, food and nutritional security, and transition to more equitable, inclusive, sustainable and resilient agricultural landscapes and food systems in Africa. Our literature search yielded 35 articles for further analysis. The review showed that NUS provide various provisioning, regulating, cultural, and supporting ecosystem services and several environmental and health co-benefits, dietary diversity, income, sustainable livelihood outcomes, and economic empowerment, especially for women. Importantly, NUS address the three pillars of sustainable development-ecological, social, and economic. Thus, NUS may provide a sustainable, fit-for-purpose transformative ecosystem-based adaptation solution for Africa to transition to more sustainable, healthy, equitable, and resilient agricultural landscapes and food systems.
越来越多的人呼吁采用更具可持续性的农业形式，以平衡增加产量的需求与环境、人类健康和福祉方面的考量。这场讨论的一部分内容包括关于推广被忽视和未充分利用的作物品种（NUS）并使其成为主流的辩论，因为它们代表了一种更生态友好型的农业。我们进行了一项系统综述，以确定源自NUS的生态系统服务，并评估它们在促进非洲功能性生态多样性、粮食和营养安全以及向更公平、包容、可持续和有韧性的农业景观及粮食系统转型方面的潜力。我们的文献检索得到了35篇文章以供进一步分析。该综述表明，NUS提供了各种供给、调节、文化和支持性生态系统服务，以及若干环境和健康协同效益、饮食多样性、收入、可持续生计成果和经济赋权，尤其是对女性而言。重要的是，NUS涉及可持续发展的三个支柱——生态、社会和经济。因此，NUS可能为非洲提供一个基于生态系统的可持续、适用的转型适应解决方案，以向更可持续、健康、公平和有韧性的农业景观及粮食系统转型。
