Nairobi - Aspiring and established plant scientists from around Africa gathered in Kenya's capital for a workshop to review what has been achieved so far by the African Orphan Crops Consortium (AOCC). In its first decade, the AOCC has empowered more than 172 scientists, nearly 40 percent of whom have been women, and 28 African countries in the use of genomics-assisted approaches to crop improvement.
The workshop, co-sponsored by the Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO), reviewed a number of themes, including: what genomics can contribute to crop development; how to distribute new cultivars for widespread use; what partnership models work best; and, how to strengthen the work force for local private-sector business development in the field.
"Africa is home to a rich diversity of under-utilized crops, often referred to as 'orphan crops'," said FAO Director-General QU Dongyu in opening remarks via video message. Such crops - including local staples such as millets and exotic fruits such as mangosteen - have long played a vital role in local diets, cultural heritage and ecosystems, but have remained neglected in research, investment and policy discussions.
Noting that reducing hunger and ensuring the sustainable production of more nutritious foods to ensure healthy diets is particularly challenging in Africa, Qu added that "we will need to leverage science and innovation".
What the Consortium does
Since its establishment in 2011, the AOCC, working with its African Plant Breeding Academy (AfPBA) - a training facility run by the University of California, Davis -, has developed new tools and sequenced the genomes of 75 of the 101 target crops and trees. Once sequenced, researchers analyze the germplasm panel of each crop, putting the information into the public domain for use by plant breeders and other crop scientists with the goal of catalyzing the development of improved varieties and cultivars that can be released to farmers.
The target crops were chosen through a participatory approach by scientists. Development practitioners, producers and consumers with an eye to local tastes, dietary and nutritional needs - many are rich in critical minerals and vitamins - and income potential.
"The focus on African orphan crops is not just about food security. It is about empowering communities to cultivate crops that are resilient, nutritious and locally adapted," Qu said.
