Of the 6000 plant species historically cultivated as crops, global food production is now dominated by just six. Although they are largely absent from global food trade and development initiatives, many ‘forgotten’ crops continue to be important to both rural and urban populations.
As the future for food security becomes ever more precarious, these crops could play a vital role in closing food gaps and providing providing consumers around the world with a more diverse and nutritious diet.
The Forgotten Crops Society, of which Global Food Security is a founder member, champions these crops and raises public awareness through its Dialogue Series events, co-organised with Global Food Security.
FCS Past events:
2023
Date TBC The Globalisation of Wheat
Wednesday, 17 May, 2023 The Global Food Crisis: How should we respond?
2022
Wednesday, 18 May, 2022 Eating to Extinction: The World’s Rarest Foods and Why We Need to Save Them
Tuesday, 26 April, 2022 Maize: Examining Narratives of Crop Extinction
Wednesday, 26 January, 2022 Is there a business case for forgotten crops? The role of the private seed sector.
2021
Wednesday, 1 December, 2021 The promise of genomics and genetics in underutilized crops
Wednesday, 27 October, 2021 Can an African grain become a global super-food?
