Agricultural growth is a key driver of poverty reduction, particularly when focused on smallholder farmers who benefit from institutional and technological innovations. Orphan crops, indigenous and regularly grown by small and marginal farmers under subsistence farming systems, represent a significant opportunity for agricultural transformation. These crops, often 'orphaned' by the scientific community and not traded internationally, possess several attractive qualities. They have high nutritional values, resilience to growth in adverse environments, capacity for sustainable food production and potential for climate mitigation. Recognising and investing in these crops is not just a matter of agricultural development but a significant step towards improving local economies and reducing poverty.
We previously conducted a landscaping analysis that produced a rich database of orphan crop experts, publications, technical knowledge, websites, key germplasm collections and investment recommendations, along with an unique list of 370 scientists and others engaged in orphan crop value chains.
This grant will propose a portfolio of regional projects that reflect a whole-of-value-chain approach for 4 key orphan crops (Chia, Passiflora, Quinoa, Yacon), complemented by 6-8 targeted initiatives that will be crop and country specific. The key crops were identified during our landscaping analysis and have been selected based on their economic and nutritional potential. The projects will aim to leverage and add value to ongoing initiatives and will have, at core, an emphasis on mitigating the impacts of climate change and on sustainability i.e. the development of human capacity while preserving cultural heritage and biodiversity.
A key output of this grant will be an elaborated Request for Proposals (RFP) that may result in an orphan crop investment portfolio of about $4M over 3 years that will boost economic development and climate resilience in Latin America.
