NUS Seeds
The global dominance of a few major cereal crops has led to the marginalization of traditional species, reducing agrobiodiversity and increasing the vulnerability of food systems. Promoting the use of NUS offers a sustainable pathway to build climate-resilient food systems while improving food security and conserving agrobiodiversity.
Neglected and Underutilized Species Identified Across CROPS4HD Countries
We are currently working with a total of 58 NUS crops across the 5 CROPS4HD countries, including 17 NUS used across many countries. The table below shows the overlap across countries. For more details about NUS in each country, click on the country name.
| Tanzania | Zimbabwe | Chad | Niger | India | |
| Amaranth (leaves/grains) | ✔ | ✔ | ✔ | ✔ | ✔ |
| Sesame | ✔ | ✔ | ✔ | ✔ | ✔ |
| Bambara bean | ✔ | ✔ | ✔ | ✔ | |
| Finger millet | ✔ | ✔ | ✔ | ✔ | |
| Moringa | ✔ | ✔ | ✔ | ||
| Okra | ✔ | ✔ | ✔ | ||
| Pumpkin | ✔ | ✔ | ✔ | ||
| White sorrel | ✔ | ✔ | ✔ | ||
| African eggplants | ✔ | ✔ | |||
| Barnyard millet | ✔ | ✔ | |||
| Guava | ✔ | ✔ | |||
| Pearl Millet | ✔ | ✔ | |||
| Pigeon Pea | ✔ | ✔ | |||
| Red Sorrel | ✔ | ✔ | |||
| Sorghum | ✔ | ✔ | |||
| Spider plant | ✔ | ✔ | |||
| Sweet potato leaves | ✔ | ✔ |
Amaranth [NI, CH, ZIM, TZ, IN] is widely cultivated across Africa, India, and China. Its leaves are popular for their versatility as vegetables and are commonly added to various dishes. Amaranth is particularly beneficial for small-scale farmers due to its fast growth and ability to provide multiple harvests throughout the year, ensuring a steady income. Amaranth thrives during both dry and rainy seasons, allowing for year-round cultivation, and its demand in the market is consistently high.
Sesame [NI, CH, ZIM, TZ, IN], scientifically known as Sesamum indicum, is a valuable food and commercial crop cultivated for its nutrient-rich seeds, which are used to make sesame milk, oil, and various food products. Sesame grows best in areas with temperatures between 24°C and 32°C and at altitudes around 1200 meters above sea level. It thrives in loamy, sandy soils. In Tanzania, sesame is widely grown in regions like Lindi, Mtwara, Ruvuma, Shinyanga, Pwani, Morogoro, Dodoma, Tanga, Rukwa, and Mbeya.
Bambara beans [NI, CH, ZIM, TZ] are an important drought-resistant pulse crop in Africa, serving as a valuable alternative to other nuts and pulses, especially in regions with limited water resources. This crop is highly beneficial for smallholder farmers, as it thrives in high temperatures and arid environments where other pulses cannot grow. Bambara beans are well-suited for low-input farming systems and areas facing frequent drought. Additionally, they are resistant to pests and insects. Bambara beans also enrich the soil by naturally fixing nitrogen, making them ideal for intercropping with other staple crops like maize, sorghum, millet, and cassava. Their leaves, rich in nitrogen and potassium, serve as excellent livestock feed.
Finger millet [CH, ZIM, TZ, IN] is a type of millets that thrives in a range of environments, from tropical heat to high elevations, and can grow even in poor, low-fertility soils, including saline soils. It is commonly intercropped with legumes like chickpeas, green grams, peas, and beans, providing an additional income source for farmers. Finger millet has a long storage life and is naturally resistant to pests, making it an ideal crop in regions prone to food scarcity. It can be consumed as whole grain or ground into flour.
The moringa tree (Moringa oleifera) is a fast-growing, drought-resistant tree of the family Moringaceae, native to northern India and used extensively in South and Southeast Asia. Widely celebrated as a “miracle tree” for its exceptional nutritional density and medicinal properties. Nearly every part of the plant is used for nutritional, industrial, or therapeutic purposes.
Pumpkins are native from North America, but are now cultivated worldwide, including in Tanzania, Niger and Zimbabwe. They grow best in areas with moderate sunlight, well-drained soils, and sufficient fertility. Pumpkins are highly valued as multiple parts of the plant—including leaves, fruit, flowers, and seeds—are edible and nutritious.
Sweet potato leaves known as Matembele in Swahili, are nutrient-rich greens containing a variety of vitamins and minerals that help boost immunity and increase blood levels. They are commonly prepared as vegetables, soups, or stews, and can also be used in mashed foods for children.
Chad (12)
🌾 Cereals: Finger millet (Eleusine coracana)
🍈 Fruits: Moringa (Moringa oleifera); African locust bean (Parkia biglobosa)
🫘 Legume: Pigeon pea (Cajanus cajan); Bambara groundnut (Vigna subterranea)
🌻 Oil crops: Sesame (Sesamum indicum)
🌱 Pseudocereals: Amaranth leaves (Amaranthus spp.)
🥔 Roots and tubers: Country potato (Fabirame esclentus); Livingstone potato (Plectranthus esculentus)
🫑 Vegetables: Red sorrel and White sorrel (Hibiscus sabdariffa); African eggplants (Solanum aethiopicum); Okra (Abelmoschus esculentus)
India (33)
🌾 Cereals: Browntop millet (Panicum ramosum); Barnyard Millet (Echinochloa frumantacea); Proso Millet (Panicum miliaceum); Finger Millet (Eleusine coracana); Foxtail Millet or Italian millet (Setaria italica); Little millet [Suan] (Panicum sumatrense); Kodo Millet (Paspalum scrobiculatum)
🍈 Fruits: Indian gooseberry (Phyllanthus emblica); Jack fruit (Artocarpus heterophyllus); Java plum (Syzygium cumin); Papaya (Carica papaya); Moringa (Moringa oleifera); Guava (Psidium guajava)
🫘 Legumes: Moth bean (Vigna aconitifolia); Horse gram (Macrotyloma uniflorum); Black gram (Vigna mungo); Ground nut (Arachis hypogaea); Lablab bean (Lablab purpureus); Winged bean (Psophocarpus tetragonolobus); Green gram or Mung bean (Vigna radiata)
🌻 Oil crops: Sesame (Sesamum indicum)
🌱 Pseudocereals: Amaranth leaves (Amaranthus spp.)
🥔 Roots and tubers: Lesser yam (Dioscorea esculenta)
🫑 Vegetables: Sponge gourd (Luffa cylindrica); Okra (Abelmoschus esculentus); Cluster beans (Cyamopsis tetragonoloba); Bydagi Chilli (Capsicum annuum); Musk melon (Cucumis melo); Goosefoot (Chenopodium album); Bottle gourd (Lagenaria siceraria); Bitter gourd (Momordica charantia); Rigde gourd (Luffa acutangula); White Roselle (Hibiscus sabdariffa)
Niger (12)
🌾 Cereals : Fonio black (Digitaria iburua)
🍈 Fruits : Guava (Psidium guajava) ; Jujubier (Ziziphus mauritiana) ; Moringa (Moringa oleifera)
🫘 Legume : Bambara bean (Vigna subterranea)
🌻 Oil crops : Sesame (Sesamum indicum)
🌱 Pseudocereals : Amaranth leaves (Amaranthus spp.)
🫑 Vegetables : Red sorrel and White sorrel (Hibiscus sabdariffa) ; White onion (Allium cepa) ; Peanuts (Arachis hypogaea) ; Okra (Abelmoschus esculentus) ; Pumpkin (Cucurbita spp.)
Tanzania (12)
🌾 Cereals: Finger Millet (Eleusine coracana)
🍈 Fruits: Sugar apple (Annona squamosa); Bungo fruit (Saba comorensis)
🫘 Legumes: Bambara bean (Vigna subterranea)
🌻 Oil crops: Sesame (Sesamum indicum)
🌱 Pseudocereals: Amaranth leaves and Amaranth grains (Amaranthus spp.)
🫑 Vegetables: African eggplants (Solanum aethiopicum); African nigtshade or Black nightshade (Solanum scabrum); Pumpkin (Cucurbita spp.); Spider plant (Cleome gynandra or Gynandropsis gynandra); Sweet potatoes leaves (Ipomoea batatas)
Zimbabwe (16)
🌾 Cereals: Finger millet (Eleusine coracana); Pearl millet (Pennisetum glaucum); Sorghum (Sorghum bicolor (L.) Moench); Barnyard millet (Echinochloa frumantacea)
🍈 Fruits: Baobab (Adansonia digitata); Mobola plum (Parinari curatellifolia)
🫘 Legumes: Bambara bean (Vigna subterranea); Pigeon pea (Cajanus cajan); Cowpea (Vigna unguiculata)
🌻 Oil crops: Sesame (Sesamum indicum)
🌱 Pseudocereals: Amaranth leaves and Amaranth grains (Amaranthus spp.)
🫑 Vegetables: Pumpkin (Cucurbita spp.); Spider plant (Cleome gynandra or Gynandropsis gynandra); Sweet potatoes leaves (Ipomoea batatas); Kalahari Melon (Citrullus lanatus); Wild leafy vegetables