[EBOOK] NEGLECTED CROPS: 1492 From a different perspective, Edited by J.E. Hernández Bermejo and J. León, Published in collaboration with the Botanical Garden of Córdoba (Spain), as part of the Etnobotánica 92 Programme (Andalusia,1992)

Conceived as a project by the Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations, Neglected crops: 1492 from a different perspective was copublished with the Botanical Garden of Córdoba, Spain. This cooperation came about as a result of the “Etnobotánica 92” congress, convened in September 1992 by the Botanical Garden and the City of Cordoba. The contents and aims of the congress were fully consistent with the sentiment behind the planned publication which would thus serve as an initial protocol for discussion at a symposium on neglected crops, oriented towards defining priorities, designing new projects for researching and improving these crops and planning strategies to Finance them.

The aim of the book is to analyse the present situation and the prospects for improving certain traditional crops that were more important in other times and have now either been completely forgotten or relegated to a marginal role. After discussing the repercussions that 1492 had on natural resources and ways of life, both in America and Spain, the discovery of America and successive eras are studied, not as historic events that gave rise to a great genetic and cultural flow but, on the contrary, as possible immediate or delayed causes of certain crops being neglected.

The concept of a neglected or “marginalized” species in agricultural terms needs to be made clear. It basically refers to cultivated crops and therefore excludes those species which, in spite of their possible cthnobotanical or economic interest, arc taken directly from their wild populations. They are crops which, at other times and under other conditions, were of greater importance in traditional agriculture and in the diets of indigenous peoples and other local communities. It does not necessarily imply promising crops. This is because they have already been cultivated and because the aim of their reinstatement is not to convert them into crops for intensive cultivation or export. Marginalized crops are those whose use and productivity need to be considerably increased as a means of raising the living conditions and improving die diet of ethnic groups and populations accustomed to living in economic systems that have engaged little interchange.

How has this situation of “marginalization” come about? There have been various contributine factors: the introduction of species that supplanted traditional ones; the loss of competitiveness of these species compared with other more productive species; gradual changes in demand; economic, cultural, political or religious prohibitions; and the disappearance of ethnic groups that understood the techniques and uses of the plants as well as their cultivation methods. We need to recognize, as the present study does, that among the social, agronomic and biological reasons for the neglect of such plants, it is the social factors that predominate. In many cases this has been a consequence of the premeditated eradication of self-sufficient ways of life and their replacement by other foreign systems, based on outside interests. Thus, in the traditional societies of Latin America, a dependence on external forces developed and subsequently resulted in poverty.

Four main sections of this book basically deal with Latin America, where three areas of anthropological action are identified, corresponding to the three main centres of phytogenetic diversity and origin of agricultural experiments: Mesoamerica, the Andean region and the Amazon. In keeping with the general approach of “Etnobotánica 92” — organized to analyse the consequences of 500 years of genetic and ethnobotanical exchanges between the two sides of the Atlantic - it seemed logical to include a final section on the marginalization of crops in Spain and its possible connection with 1492.

The list of species studied has been restricted to food crops and. with a few exceptions, to those exclusively of interest as human food. This does not mean that the same phenomenon of marginal ization. as defined here, has not occurred in other types of crops. Perhaps the most drastic cases are to be found among industrial crops: dye, fibre or medicinal plants that have now been replaced by synthetic products, whose cultivation is left to the poorest communities which are unable to obtain the artificial substitutes, or which survive to be used at times when, as a result of certain market contingencies, the natural product once again can claim a limited consumption.

Some chapters arc monospecific while others refer to groups of crops which are taxonomically and agronomically close. With the aim of meeting the basic objective of improving agricultural species in regions where thev are traditionally exploited, attention has been paid to the following points:

Importance of genetic resources. Emphasis is placed both on the direct use of new gemiplasm with a superior yield, quality or resistance, and its application in previous genetic improvement programmes, using more sophisticated techniques. Mention is also made of conservation programmes and germplasm banks as well as of national and international institutions that coordinate conservation activities and the use of these resources. Genetic variability or biodiversity (known cultivars, related species, wild intraspecific variability, etc.) are evaluated and the current risks of genetic erosion are assessed.

Forms of consumption. The direct causes of or factors contri buting to crop marginalization include the loss-either through neglect or cultural suppression - ot forms of consumption (preparation, preservation, culinary habits alternative uses) of foods based on marginalized traditional plants. For this reason, it has been considered of the utmost importance not only to reinstate the use of these crops but also to highlight their nutritional values and forms of preparation.

Prospects for improvement and limitations. The attention of specialists has been centred on rescuing neglected crops and, therefore, on indicating the direction to be taken in order to improve them. Age-old Clops must be developed while taking into account the needs of the communities which consume them. With modem technology, it is possible to put improvement programmes into practice but, for this, the starting-point must be the experience acquired by fanners themselves. Research must be carried out at various levels and should range from the study and evaluation of seed material and traditional cultivation practices to the inclusion of a biotechnology suited to farmers’ practical problems.

In spite of the fact that the editors of this work laid down a very rigorous theme structure, the diverse nature of the subjects dealt with and the different approaches of specialists from more than nine countries have necessarily led to a certain lack of uniformity which has in fact enriched the work. Highly specific information is frequently provided, much of which has never before been published. Also included are value judgements, observations and personal opinions which may be of use to those who carry out field work.

The first two chapters present an overall view of the biodiversity of American phytogenetic resources and the processes that caused marginalization. This phenomenon is linked directly or indirectly to the introduction of flora from the Old World into America from 1492 onwards.

In the section on Mesoamei ica, some little-known beans, gourds and other native cucurbits, custard apples and chcrimoyas, prince’s feather (huautli) and*amaranth, sapodillas, Spanish plums and lomatilloes or husk-tomatoes are studied. The numerous lesser crops of the region have not been included because of their restricted geographical distribution.

In the section on Andean agriculture, crops are grouped into grains and pulses, tubers, roots and fruits. The grains studied include quinoa, canihua (qaniwa), love-lies-bleeding (kiwicha) and Andean lupin (tarwi); tubers include oca, ullucu, bitter potatoes and mashwa; roots include arracacha, leafeup (yaeón), maca and mauka; and fruits include the mountain papaw, sweet cucumber and tree tomato.

The section dealing with Amazonian and Caribbean agriculture examines neglected crops in the Amazon region understood in the broad sense and, by extension, species of the Caribbean region and others that are subtropical in environment and origin. There is a study of the cupuaẹu, peach-palm, Paullinia sp„ araza, feijoa, jaboticaba, Guinea arrowroot, Paraguay tea and yautia or tanier.

The last section examines the possible influence of American flora on the marginalization of various Iberian crops. Leguminous species (for animal feed and human consumption) and horticultural species are considered. Fruit-trees and groups of plants of separate economic interest for human consumption ought to have been included.

Many other crops have not been mentioned and perhaps only a minority of those which urgently need to be rescued have been included but it is hoped that at least a contribution has been made towards increasing awareness of such crops, thereby encouraging an exchange of available information.

What is sought now is the participation of different national and international institutions that may be able to contribute resources, technology and expertise to less developed countries where marginalized crops play an important role as a source of food.

Perhaps what should first be achieved is a change of attitude in Latin American countries themselves regarding the species and the products which are derived from them, but which are currently neglected either because of the passive or disparaging attitude of consumers, or because of the lack of incentives to promote and improve them. These efforts must be accompanied by new studies on postharvest handling, marketing channels and the publicizing of nutritional values, bearing in mind that the prime beneficiaries of this undertaking must be the farmers and consumers.

J.E. Hernández Bermejo and .J. León

[EBOOK] NEGLECTED CROPS: 1492 From a different perspective, Edited by J.E. Hernández Bermejo and J. León, Published in collaboration with the Botanical Garden of Córdoba (Spain), as part of the Etnobotánica 92 Programme (Andalusia,1992)

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