1. Future Smart Food:
Rediscovering HiddenTreasures of
Neglected and Underutilized Species
for Zero Hunger
in Asia
Dr. Xuan Li
Senior Policy Officer,
Delivery Manager for Regional Initiative on Zero Hunger
FAO Regional Office for Asia and the Pacific

2. Outline
1. Background: Zero Hunger/SDG2
2. Global challenges on food systems
3. The current food systems: Features and gaps
4. Future Smart Food (FSF): A means to bridge the
dual gaps
5. FSF initiative past, now, way forward: Promoting
FSF production, marketing and consumption

3. 1. Background: Zero Hunger/SDG2

4. 1.1 Hunger and Malnutrition

5. Overweight
Obesity
Micronutrient
Deficiency
Hunger
1.1 Hunger and Malnutrition A&P

6. 1.1 Hunger and Malnutrition
Prevalence of Undernourishment (PoU)
Number of Undernourished People (NoU) Source: FAO (2015)
❖ Countries’ Prevalence of Undernourishment ❖ Countries’ Stunting, Wasting and Underweight
32.4
43.8
35.1
37.4
23.9
26.5
22.6
30.1
9.6
6.4 7.9
11.3
0
10
20
30
40
50
Cambodia Lao PDR Myanmar Nepal
Country’s Child Malnutrition Indicators 2011-14
Stunting Underweight wasting
Source: UNICEF-WHO-World Bank joint database
❖ Countries’ Overweight and Obesity
Source: WHO, NCD Country Profiles (2014); SUN (2015)
❖ Countries’ Prevalence of micronutrient deficiencies
Source: WHO (2015) the prevalence of anaemia

7. 1.2 About ZHC and SDG2
“End hunger, achieve food security
and improved nutrition,
and promote sustainable
agriculture” by 2030
ZHC Pillars SDGs
1. 100% access to adequate f
ood all year around
SDG 2.1 End Hunger
2. Zero stunted children less
than 2 years
SDG 2.2 End all forms of malnutrition
3. All food systems are sustai
nable
SDG 2.4 Ensure sustainable food systems
SDG 2.5 Maintain genetic diversity
4. 100% increase in smallhol
der productivity and income
SDG 2.3 Double agricultural productivity and
incomes of small-scale food producers
5. Zero loss or waste of food SDG 12.3 Halve per capita global food waste at the
retail and consumer levels and reduce food losses
along production and supply chains,
including post-harvest losses
❖ Zero Hunger and Sustainable Development Goal 2

8. 1.2 About Regional Initiative on Zero Hunger
❖ RI-ZH: Framework and Programatic areas (2018-19)

9. 2. Global Challenges on food systems

10. Projected declines in cereal yields owing to climate
change in 2050, without adaptation (%)*
Between 2003-2013, Asia was mainly
affected by floods.
 Climate Change
 Declining Agricultural Diversity
Source: NGM.com using RAFI data.
• 30,000 edible plant species have been identified globall
y, of which 7,000 crop species have been used as foo
d.
• Just 3 crops (wheat, rice and maize) represent virtually
half of the average daily calories consumed by the
world population.
• An estimated 75% of crop genetic diversity has been
lost since 1990s
2.1 Supply constrains
Source: FAO (2016)
 Global Soil Erosion and Degradation
Areas of serious concern
Areas of some concern
Stable or nonvegetative areas
Evaporation Transpiration
Evaporation
Waterlogging
Less permeable
clay layer
 Water Stress
Source: FAO (2016), World Resources Institute (2015)

11.  Population Growth
Implication:
A 30% increase in global population would require a 50%
increase in production to feed a projected 9.7 billion in 2050
2.2 Demand constrains
 Urbanization
 Rising Income
• Rising income leads to changing dietary patterns
towards other cereals than rice, more meat and dair
y products
Growth in AG commodity demand toward 2050…
 Changing Consumption and Diets
Food Consumption by Region 2005/07 vs 2050
▪ Changing Consumption
MENASARSSA LCR EAP Developed
Percentage Increase 05/07 – 2050
183% 81% 79% 43% 30% 11%
▪ Changing Diets
CEA 2013 based on FAO 2012, CCAFS 2015

12. 3.The current food systems:
Features and Gaps

13. 3.1 Features of the current food systems:
Source:WHO (2015) the prevalence of anaemia
❖Low Production Diversity
Total of agricultural households growing rice [%]
Myanmar 2012 Nepal 2012 Lao PDR 2012 Cambodia 2012
Commodities Production (MT) Commodities Production (MT) Commodities Production (MT) Commodities Production (MT)
Rice, paddy 28 080 000 Rice, paddy 5 072 248 Rice, paddy 3 489 210 Rice, paddy 9 290 940
Sugar cane 10 000 000 Vegetables 3 298 816 Maize 1 125 485 Cassava 7 613 697
Vegetables 4 000 000 Sugar cane 2 930 047 Cassava 1 060 880 Maize 950 909
Beans, dry 3 900 000 Potatoes 2 584 301 Sugar cane 1 055 675 Vegetables 628 000
Maize 1 500 000 Maize 2 179 414 Vegetables 910 085 Sugar cane 573 771
The majority of agricultural households in Asia grow rice.
• For many years, agricultural policies have been in favour of staple and cash crop
production.
• Intensification of single-crop systems to achieve higher yields of staple crops
such as rice, wheat and maize has long been the single focus to reduce hunger
without targeting micronutrient deficiencies.
• Recent growth of cash crops, such as sugar cane and cassava, has accelerated
the low crop diversity in farming systems.

14. 3.1 Features of the current food systems:
❖Low Dietary Diversity
Source: FAOSTAT (DGE 2004; FAO 1997; USDA/USDHHS)
Food supply in g per capita per day for a standard person of 70 kg body weight (2,000 kcal)
Commodities
Cambodia
2011
Lao PDR
2011
Myanmar
2013
Nepal
2013
Recommended daily intake [g]
Cereals 475 489 397 529 300-500 overreliance on very few
cereals (mainly rice)Roots and tubers 88 122 59 234
Pulses and legumes 14 8 38 35 50-150
Animal source foods
(meat, fish, eggs)
146 110 278 49
Dairy 7 8 86 143 250-350
Fats and oils 27 19 59 34 15-30
Vegetables 106 367 223 313 >400 consumption of
vegetables and fruits
remains low
Fruits 70 187 108 168

15. 3.1 Features in the current food systems:
Disconnect of malnutrition, production and dietary diversity
❖Disconnect in Food System
• Gaps: disconnect between malnutrition, dietary diversity and production diversity
A leading cause of persistent malnutrition is poor dietary diversity (poor quality and variety of food in the diet).

16. 3.1 Features in the current food systems: example
Disconnect of malnutrition, production and dietary diversity
❖Correlation: Malnutrition and Rice Consumption in Lao PDR

17. 3.2 Gaps in Current Agriculture and Food Systems
✓Production gap
• Doubling yields in 2050 – require annual
yield growth rates of more than 1.7%
• Crop yield or partial factor productivities
of land, water, fertilizer, and labor not pro
mising: During the 1989-2008 period glob
al yield growth rates maize (1.6%), rice (1.
0%), wheat (0.9%) and soybean (1.3%) -- i
nsufficient for meeting future food dema
nd without having to convert a lot more l
and into agriculture
• Farm yields are approaching economic u
pper limits in highly productive areas. In
major irrigated wheat, rice, and maize sy
stems, yields appear to be near 80% of th
e yield potential.
✓Nutrition gap
• Increasing production of staple cr
ops is not enough to accelerate re
ductions in malnutrition.
• “Nutrition gap”: the gap between
what foods are grown and availabl
e and what foods are needed for a
healthy diet. It requires increasing
availability and access to the food
s necessary for a healthy diet.
• Insufficient supply of nutrient-ric
h foods

18. Paradigm shift
required
3.2 Gaps in Current Agriculture and Food Systems

19. 4. Future Smart Food (FSF):
A means to bridge the dual gaps (production
gap and nutrition gap) towards Zero Hunger

20. Future Smart Food(FSF) :
are Neglected and Underutilized Species (NUS) that are
LocallyAvailable
/adaptable
Nutrition Dense
Climate Resilient
Economically
Viable
Future
Smart
Food
Change the
perceptions of
NUS as
unimportant, old
fashioned, and
‘poor man’s food
Healthy diet
Good for children,
youth and the
future
Neglected and underused crops (sometimes called “
minor", "orphan", "promising" and "little-used") are
mostly wild or semi-domesticated species adapted to
local environments. These traditional foods were in
use for centuries but increasingly became forgotten
when more productive (or profitable, or prestigious, or
easier to process) crops replaced them in the farming
systems. People often call them “Neglected and Unde
rutilized Species (NUS)” as they only play a marginal
role in current farming and food systems.
Constrains
➢ Policy constrain
➢ Technical Constrain
➢ Market Constrain
➢ Institutional Constrain
4.1 Concept of FSF

21. 4.2 FSF: Availability and use
❖ 30,000 edible plant species have been identified globally, of which 7,000 crop species
have been used as food.
7000
Globally Identified Edible Plant
Species
used as food
0% 10% 20% 30% 40% 50% 60% 70% 80% 90% 100%
Used as food
Commercial cultivation
90 % of energy in human diets
rice, wheat, maize, potato
Crop Species Used in Human Diets
150 crop species
103 crop species
62 crop species

22. FSF Food Groups
Source: Bioversity International (2014)
4.2 FSF: Availability and use

23. Millets
Tropical fruits
Tap commercial potential
an income/empowerment
opportunities for marginal
groups
Pulses
Tap suitability for climate-
adaption and mitigation
Reduce the risk of over-reliance on
a few major staple crops by creating
diverse and resilient cropping
systems inAsia
Multidimensional Benefits of FSF
Improve micronutrient
content in global diets
4.3 FSF: A means to bridge the dual gaps

24.  Nutritional Benefits of FSF Values for 100 g dry product
•provide essential micro-nutrients and
thus complement staple foods
•high in carotenoids and minerals thus
help to improve the micronutrient
content in the diets
•help address the deficiencies of lack of
dietary diversity in developing countries
where locally available fruit and
vegetable are difficult to find and afford
•enrich diets with healthier food
addressing ‘’hidden hunger’ that are too
rich in refined carbohydrates and fats.
FSF can
4.3 FSF: A means to bridge the dual gaps

25.  Health Benefits of FSF
❖ Example: Impact of Iron Rich Lentil Diet on Iron DeficientAnemic Children in Sri Lanka
WHO's hemoglobin thresholds used to define anemia
(1 g/dL = 0.6206 mmol/L)
Age or gender group Hb threshold (g/dl) Hb threshold (mmol/l)
Children (0.5 - 5 years) 11.0 6.8
Children (5 - 12 years) 11.5 7.1
after 60 days, n=33
Indicator 0 days 60 days % improvement
Hemoglobin (g/dL) 11.1 11.8 6.3
Serum Fe (㎍/dL) 51.5 89.8 74.4
Total Fe binding capacity (㎍/ dL) 405.3 377.6 -6.8
Trans ferritin saturation (%) 12.8 24.3 89.8
Serum ferritin (ng/ml) 29.5 41.2 39.7
4.3 FSF: A means to bridge the dual gaps

26.  Climate Resilience of FSF
❖ Example:
Integrating Crop Genetic Diversity to Buffer against Unpredictable Environmental Change in the Nepal Himalayas
• Seven locally adapted varieties of amaranth, beans, finger millet, foxtail millet
and proso millet are identified and selected and capacity building activities are
to enhance efficiency in processing, reduce drudgery of women and minimize of
production in mountain landscapes
Water use efficiency
Crop rotation
Soil ImprovementFSF
•A total of 300 local varieties of 8 NUS are evaluated on-farm in partnership with
local communities in mountain agroecosystems, out of which 60 superior and
locally adapted ones are identified and promoted to reach 16,000 farmers
in 2018
4.3 FSF: A means to bridge the dual gaps

27. ❖ Example:The Quinoa Boom on Bolivian Family Farmers
FAO.2013
 Economically viable benefits of FSF
Almost all the current quinoa production is in
the hands of small farmers and associations.
Increased demand for Quinoa
Increase in informal local trade
More money available Better education
Better public hygiene
Better living condition
4.3 FSF: A means to bridge the dual gaps

28.  Locally availability of FSF
❖ Example : Edible wild plants of Bhutan and their contribution to food and nutrition security
• There are many edible wild plants are wildly distributed around Bhutan.
• In a 5 years of investigation, a total of 108 edible wild plants belonging
to 53 families of Magnoliophyta were found, out of which 101 species
were identified; a total of 20 edible wild plants belonging to five families
of Pteridophyta were determined out of which 15 species were identified.Diplazium Elatostema lineolatum Thlaspi ar vense
4.3 FSF: A means to bridge the dual gaps

29. 5. FSF Initiative: Promoting FSF production,
marketing and consumption
towards Zero Hunger

30. ❖ Regional Priority-setting Exercise on Scoping, Prioritizing and Mapping of NUS
5.1 FSF Initiative: Past, Now, Way forward
Enabling
Environment
for NUS
Scoping
• Study Preparation
• Review
• Report
• Further Stud
y (Mapping,
Value Chain)
Expert Consultation
I II III
Partnership,
Team
Building &
Planning
…October
2016
November
2016
December 2016 2017
a)
Draft and review
preliminary
Scoping Reports on
crop-related NUS
in selected
countries
b)
Rank and prioritize
high-potential NUS
based on established
priority criteria
c)
Identify 5-6 NUS
crops per country
c)
Strategize to
enhance
production and
utilization of the
selected crops in
local diets

31. Cereals Roots &Tubers Pulses Fruits &Vegetables Nuts, Seeds & Spices
Buckwheat
Tartary buckwheat
Foxtail millet
Proso millet
Finger millet
Sorghum
Amaranth
Grain amaranth
Quinoa
Specialty rice
Taro
Swamp taro
Purple yam
Fancy yam
Elephant’s foot yam
Sweet potato
Grass pea
Faba bean
Cow pea
Mung bean
Black gram
Rice bean
Lentil
Horse gram
Soybean
Drumstick
Chayote
Fenugreek
Snake gourd
Pumpkin
Roselle
Indian gooseberry
Jack fruit
Wood apple
Linseed
Walnut
Nepali butter tree
Perilla
Nepali pepper
39 crops from eight countries/States:
Cambodia, Lao PDR, Myanmar, Nepal, Bangladesh, Bhutan,Viet Nam,West Bengal (India)
5.1 FSF Initiative : Past, Now, Way forward
• Prioritized NUS as FSF (based on 4-criteria)

32. International Partners:
• FAO Special Ambassador for International Year of
Pulses 2016
• ICRISAT
• ICARDA
• ICIMOD
• Bioversity International
• ACIAR
• TFNet
• Mahidol University
• Asian Institute of Technology
• MSSRF-LANSA
• University of Western Australia
National Partners:
• Thailand International Cooperation Agency (TICA)
• Bangladesh Agriculture Research Institute (BARI)
• Cambodian Agricultural Research and Development
Institute (CARDI)
• Department of Agriculture, Ministry of Agriculture
and Forests, Bhutan
• Department of Agricultural Research (DAR), Myanmar
• National Agriculture and Forestry Research Institute
of Lao PDR(NAFRI)
• Nepal Agriculture Research Council (NARC)
• Plant Resources Centre of Viet Nam (PRC)
• Uttar Banga Krishi Visawavidyalaya of India (UBKV)
5.1 FSF Initiative : Past, Now, Way forward
• Original Partners of FSF

33. 5.1 FSF Initiative: Past, Now, Way forward
• Future Smart Food

34. 5.2 FSF Initiative: Integrating FSF into faming systems
Example:Tapping Un-used Potential in rice-fallows
Integration of Pulses in Rice-Fallow in IndiaRice-Fallow areas in South Asia

35. Selected crops as FSF5.3 FSF Initiative: Promoting FSF production,
marketing and consumption
Production
=
Supply
Consumption
=
Demand
• Increase productivity through higher resource use
efficiency and innovative technologies
• Diversification of existent cropping systems: Create
incentives to produce additional crops next to rice
• Manage food loss
• Raise nutrition awareness of FSF
• Integrating FSF into School Feeding/School Meal
Programmes
• Food waste and loss management for FSF
Market
Market
❖Strategies to Promote FSF

36. Selected crops as FSF5.3 FSF Initiative: Promoting FSF production,
marketing and consumption
Production Postharvest
Trade and
Marketing
Consumption
Multi-sectoral and Multi-stakeholder
Better governance
ConsumersFarmers and Farm
Enterprises
TradersProcessors
WholesalersTransporters
Warehouses RetailersFarmer Organizations
11/12/2018
❖ Enabling Environment: Food System Approach

37. ❖ Way Forward
5.4 FSF Initiative: Way Forward
Brainstorming
How do you think FSF could be moved forward?
1) How to promote the production, marketin
g and consumption of FSF?
2) Who could be good partners for FSF?
3) Innovative ideas to raise awareness of FSF?
Resource
Mobilization
for Scaling-up
FSF Awareness raising
✓ Future Smart Food fair
• When: 28-30 November, Bangkok,Thailand
• Objectives: the Fair is to share experience and
raise awareness of the importance of FSF for
ending hunger and all forms of malnutrition

38. Thank you!
For more information, please contact:
Dr. Xuan Li
Senior Policy Officer, Delivery Manager for
Regional Initiative on Zero Hunger
FAO Regional Office for Asia and the Pacific
Email: Xuan.Li@fao.org