Country Status Reports on Underutilized Crops, by Rina Rani Saha, Bangladesh - Regional Expert Consultation on Underutilized Crops for Food and Nutritional Security in Asia and the Pacific November 13-15, 2017, Bangkok

1. Dr. Rina Rani Saha
Principal Scientific Officer
Bangladesh Agricultural Research Council

2. Geographical Position of Bangladesh
200 34′ to 26038′N latitude,
880 01′ to 92041′ E longitude
Capital : Dhaka

3. Agriculture in Bangladesh
• Agriculture is the mainstay of the economic
development of Bangladesh.
• Agricultural sector has an overwhelming impact on
major macroeconomic objectives like employment
generation, poverty alleviation, human resources
development and food security.
• It employs 47% of the total labour force and comprises
16% of the country's GDP.
• Rice and jute are the primary crops, others important
crops include wheat, potato, maize, pulses, oilseeds,
sugarcane, tea etc.
• Because of Bangladesh's fertile soil and normally ample
water supply, rice can be grown and harvested three
times a year in many areas.
3

4.  More than 200 crops grown in Bangladesh, among these
about 100 minor crops, including fruits and vegetables
 Many indigenous plants grown naturally having a great
genetic diversity as well as vast heritage of indigenous
knowledge but less utilized in agriculture.
 Some underutilized species are more resilient to
environmental stresses such as droughts, salinity and
poor soils
 Underutilized fruits have alternative means to increase
farm income by diversifying products, expanding
markets, improving diet, and creating rural based
industries
 Many of the underutilized crops at present condition
may play a promising role in future agricultural
development
Importance of underutilized crops in Bangladesh

5. Area, Production and productivity
 A good number of minor and under-utilized crops are grown
in the country.
 Many of these are important for food security, especially for
the rural people and the poorer sections of the population.
 The production status of most them are hardly monitored
and very few are recorded

6. Crop Area (Hectre) Production
(MT)
Productivity
(t/ha)
Cereals
Barley 356 317 0.9
Jower 93 102 1.1
Bazra 36 48 1.3
Cheena & Kaon 1182 1229 1.0
Foxtail Millet 261 203 0.8
Pulses
Arhar (Pigeon
pea) 539 566 1.1
Pea (Motor) 7260 7372 1.0
Oilseeds
Linseed 6562 4475 0.7
Spices
Coriander 18099 17642 1.0
Table 1. Area, production and productivity of some underutilized
crops in Bangladesh.

7. Significant Achievements
 Bangladesh Agricultural Research Institute (BARI) has already
collected and conserved a good number of germplasm and
also developed some varieties of different underutilized
cereals, pulses, oilseeds, tuber crops, spices and fruits.
 Very recently Horticulture Research Centre of BARI collected
28 different indigenous vegetables as well as medicinal plant
species from across the country and evaluated the
performance.
 Rahim et al. (2013) documented the underutilized 49
vegetables and also Rahim et al. (2011)documented 46 fruits
species in details and developed some varieties of different
underutilized fruits.

8. Table 2. Number of collected and conserved germplasm and
developed varieties of underutilized/minor crops in
Bangladesh.
Crops name Scientific name Germplasm
(No.)
Developed
variety (No.)
Cereals
Foxtail millet Setaria italica 568 3
Prosomillet Panicum miliaceum 203 1
Sorghum Sorghum vulgare 187 -
Barley Hordium valgare 63 7
Buck wheat Fagopyrum esculentum 6 -
Pearl millet Pennisetum glaucum 3 -
Finger millet Eleusinecaracana 2 -

9. Table 2. Continued
Pulses
Pea Pisum sativum 172 3
Cowpea Vigna unguiculata 82 1
Pigeon pea Cajanus cajan 85 -
Horse gram Macrotyloma uniflorum 13 -
Faba bean Vicia faba 35
Rice bean Vigna umbellata 6 -
vetch Vicia sativa 3 -
Oilseeds
Niger Guizotia abyssinica 21 1
Linseed Linum usitatissimum 20 1
Sunflower Helianthus annuus 16 2
Safflower Carthemustinctorius 4 1
Castor Ricinus communis 1 -
Crops name Scientific name Germplasm
(No.)
Developed
variety (No.)

10. Crops name Scientific name Germplasm
(No.)
Developed
variety (No.)
Tuber crops
Mukhikachu 15 2
Olkachu (Elephant foot
yam)
Amorphophallus
campanulatus
2 -
Spices
Cinnamon Cinnamomum verum 5 1
Bay leaf Cinnamomum tamala 4 1
Culantro, Eryngium Eryngium foetidum - 1
Black pepper Piper nigrum - 1
Fenugreek Trigonellafoenum
graecum
5 2
Fennel Foeniculum vulgare 7 2
Black cumin Nigella sativa 3 1
Bunching onion Allium fistulosum - 1
Plum Prunus domestica 3 1
Long peper Piper longan 3 -
Table 2. Continued

11. Table 3. Number of collected and conserved germplasm and developed
varieties of underutilized/minor fruits
Crops name Scientific name Germplasm (No.) Variety (No.)
Sapota Marikana achras 18 3
Lemon Citrus limon 50 3
Lime Citrus aurantifolia 8 -
Sweet lime Citrus paradis 1
Pummelo Citrus grandis 125 5
Mandarin Citrus reticulata 30 3
Sweet orange Citrus mauricata 25 1
Jara Lemon - 6 -
Colombo
Lemon
- 12 -
Ada zamir Citrus assamensis 10 -
Karun zamir - 19 -
Ashkar zamir - 8 -
Carambola Averrhoa carambola 50 2

12. Table 3. Continued
Crops name Scientific name Germplasm (No.) Variety (No.)
Golden apple Spondius dulcis 14 2
Custard apple Annona squamosa 18 -
Bullock’s heart Annona reticulata 20 -
Burmese grape Baccaurea sapida 21 1
Pomegranate Punica granatum 9 -
Wax jumbu Syzygium
samarangese
33 3
Longan Nphelium longana 7 2
Velvet apple Diospyros discolor 12 1
Karonda Carissa carandas 22 -
Cowa Garcinia cowa 13 -
Indian dellenia Dellenia indica 14 -
Aonla Emblica officinalis 30 1
Bael Aegle marmelos 100 1
Wood apple/
Elephant’s foot
apple
Feronia limonia 24 1

13. Table 3. Continued
Tamarind Tamatindus indica 7 1
Lukluki Flacourtia jangomes 20
Jamun Syzygium cumini 25 1
Passion fruit Passiflora edulis 3 1
Toikar Garcinia pedunculata 7 1
Cashewnut Anacardium
occidentale
8 -
Rose apple Syzygium jambos 12 -
Indian olive Elaeocarpus
floribundus
15 1
Palmyra palm Borassus flabellifer 7 -
Monkey jack Artocarpus lacoocha 11 -
Star
gooseberry
Phyllanthus distichus 12 -
Crops name Scientific name Germplasm (No.) Variety (No.)

14. Crops Scientific name Days to
harvest
Yield (t/ha)
Bathua (green) Chenopodium album 45 17.32
Bathua (red) 55 19.70
Thankuni Hydrocotyle asiatica 70 1.60
Lafashak Malva verticilltu 35 5.20
Pudina 45 3.15
Nunia Portulaca oleraceae 65 16.75
Helencha Enhydra fluctuans 55 5.60
Malancha - 60 7.90
Shialmutra - 55 16.85
Shaknotey Amarunthus viridis 45 21.30
Kata notey 45 21.30
Pat shak Corehorus capsularis 35 1.25
Table 4. Yield and growing duration of different indigenous leafy vegetable

15. Crops name Utilization
Leaf amaranth Leafy vegetable
Spiny amaranth Leafy vegetable
Joy weed Young shoots and leaves
Indian pennywort Vegetable and medicinal value
Giant taro Fleshy aerial stem as vegetable
Voodoo lily Corms, stolon & leaves as vegetable and ethno medicine
Wild elephant foot
yam
Young petioles & unexpanded leaves as vegetables
Elephant foot yam Corm, petiole, twig & unexpanded leaves as vegetables &
tonic
Taro Corms & leaves as vegetables
Eddoe Corms & leaves as vegetables
Wild taro Tender leaves, petioles, spathes & corms as vegetables.
Special diet for women due to rich in vitamins and iron
Thama/Garothama Corms, leaves & stem as vegetables. Leaves are rich
vitamins and minerals
Kantaokachu Lower hard modified stem as vegetable and ethno medicine
Bengal arun Tender leaves, petioles & corms/ rhizomes as vegetable and
medicine
Table 5. Utilization of different underutilized vegetables in Bangladesh.

16. Tannia Leafy vegetables
Blue taro Tender leaves as vegetable or used in soups and stews
Marsh herb Leaves as vegetables and medicine
Watercress Leafy vegetables, rich in iron, calcium & folic acid
Pigweed Tender leaves and young shoots as vegetable & medicine
Crops name Utilization
Swamp cabbage Leafy vegetables rich in iron & Vitamin A and also medicine
Ivy gourd Young leaves, twigs and tender green fruits as vegetable &
soup, rich in beta-carotene
Wild teasle gourd Pulp of fruit as vegetable and seeds & leaves as medicine
White yam Tubers & bulbil as vegetable & desserts, medicine
Ait potato Tubers & bulbil as vegetable & folk medicine. Rich in Vitamin
C , B6 minerals K, Mg etc
Cassava Tubers as vegetable & snack chips. Rich in Vitamin C, B6&
minerals K, Fe, Mg etc
Pigeon pea Green seed as vegetable & matured seeds as soup ( dhal).
Leaves as medicine.
Sword bean Young pod as vegetable & matured seeds as soup ( dhal).
Beggar weed Tender shoots & leaves as vegetable & folk medicine.
Potato bean Young tubers as vegetable & pickles
Table 5. Continued

17. Table 5. Continued
Winged bean Tender pod as vegetable & dried seeds used for coffee like drink
Sesbania Leaves, seed pods & flower as vegetable & folk medicine.
Drone Tender leaves &shoots as vegetable. leaves& flower as folk medicine.
Wild lady's finger Tender pods, young leaves & new shoots as vegetable & folk medicine.
Roselle Tender leave, twigs as vegetable, juicy calyces used for juice, jelly & folk
medicine
Chinese mallow Tender twigs & leaves as vegetable & folk medicine.
Carpet weed Tender leaves & twigs as vegetable. Rich in vitamins, Fe & Ca
Drumstick Fruits & tender leaves as vegetable & folk medicine
Water lotus Matured fruits as food stuffs & folk medicine
Water lily Flower stalk as vegetable, rich in Fe & Ca. Fruits as food & roots as folk
medicine
Floating
primrose willow
Leafy vegetables & folk medicine
Wood sorrel Leafy vegetables & folk medicine
Sour grass Tender leaves& twigs as vegetable, salad & folk medicine. Rich in vitamin C
Ostrich fern Leafy vegetables
Water hyssop Leafy vegetables & folk medicine
Nightshade Tender fruits as vegetables & folk medicine

18. Table 6. Utilization of different underutilized fruits in Bangladesh.
Crops name Utilization
Cashewnut Nut used for preparation of bread, cake, pastry etc & medicine
Golden apple As fresh fruit & also used for jelly, pickles, soups, stews etc
Bullock's heart Ripen fruits as fresh & used for jelly, jam etc& medicinal value
Custard apple Ripen fruits as fresh & medicinal value
Karanda Ripen fruits as fresh & used for jam, pickles. Rich in Fe & Vit C
Carambola Ripen fruits as fresh. Rich in antioxidants & Vitamin C
Billimbi Fruits as fresh & used in curries, juice
Cowa Ripen fruits as fresh & used in jam, rich in Vitamin C & minerals
Taikor Fruits as fresh & used in jam, jelly, pickles
Daophal Fruits as fresh & used in jam
Elephant apple Fruits as fresh & used in pickle, chutney & medicinal value
Velvet apple Ripen fruits as fresh
River ebony Ripen fruits as fresh & medicinal value
Olive Ripen fruits as fresh and used for pickle, chutney etc
Burmese grape Ripen fruits as fresh and used for juice
Star gooseberry Matured fruits as fresh and used for juice. Rich in vitamin C

19. Crops name Utilization
Aonla Fruits as fresh and used for juice, pickles & folk medicine. Rich
in vitamin C
Governor's plum Fruits as fresh & used in jam, jelly
Sapida Fruits as fresh & cooked. Rich in vitamin C & antioxidants
Flacourtia Fruits as fresh & used in jam, jelly
Tamarind Fruits as fresh & used in jam, sauce
Water chestnut Fruits as fresh & medicinal value
Chapalish Fruits as fresh
Monkey jack Fruits as fresh & used in chutney & medicinal value
Fig Fruits as fresh & medicinal value
Jamun Fruits as fresh & used in jam, jelly, seeds used as folk medicine
Rose apple Fruits as fresh
Malay apple Fruits as fresh & used in chutney, pickle
Wax-jambu Matured fruits used in jam, jelly
Palmyra palm Green fruits as fresh & juice of ripe used for dessert
Rattan Ripe fruits as fresh. Rich in vitamin C & minerals
Date palm Ripe fruits as fresh& sap used as fresh drink or for jaggary
Pomegranate Seeds of ripe fruits as fresh. Rich in vitamin C, B5 & potassium
Table 6. Continued

20. Crops name Utilization
Stone apple Matured fruits or dried & medicinal value
Ada jamir Matured fruits & medicinal value
Lime Rich in vitamin C & used culinary purpose & jam, jelly
Pummelo Matured fruits as fresh & medicinal value
Rough lemon Fruits as fresh & rich in vitamin C minerals like K, Ca
Satkara Fruits as salad & curry. Rich in vitamin C minerals like Ca
Wood apple Matured ripen fruits as fresh & medicinal value. Rich in
vitamin C minerals like Ca& P
Longan Matured ripen fruits as fresh & medicinal value. Rich in vit A
Mahua Flower as vegetable & used for making liquor.Flower& fruit
for medicinal value.
Sapota Matured ripen fruits as fresh & rich in vitamin A & B
Indian medlar Fruits & Seeds are medicinal value
Khirni Fruits & Seeds are medicinal value
Phalsa Ripen fruits as fresh & medicinal value. Rich in vit C &
carotene
Table 6. Continued

21. Challenges and Opportunities
 A major threat is posed by the effects of global climate
change.
 Increased severity of floods, drought and salinity
 Coupled with the rapid population increasing
 Indigenous plant species are naturally grown and
traditionally used
 These crops may play a vital role for ensuring food especially
nutrition security but not adequately researched for getting
the potential use.
 It is needed to pay attention for investigating ways to
introduce these crops into agricultural systems for food and
nutrition with economic benefit

22. Marketing, commercialization and trade
 Neither a definite marketing channel nor a commercial
activities for almost all the undeutilized crpos
 Most of the undeutilized crpos naturally grown or
traditionally cultivated in different locality and mainly used
as household consumption
 Some are being sold in local market.
 Very few are marketed in city areas.

23. Strategies adopted to harness their potential
 The development of underutilized crops primarily needs to
identification of potentiality as useful crops and the associated
local knowledge.
 Germplasm collection, conservation, characterization,
evaluation, development of varieties and agronomic testing
need to be conducted followed by a series of steps to promote
commercialization.
 The information on the potential value of underutilized crops
regarding nutrition, rural income, post harvest processing and
marketing methods could be collected and documented as well
as disseminate to end users for sustainable farming system.

24. Major Focus Areas
 Utilization of biodiversity being to contribute the improving
productivity, food security and nutrition.
 Many of the people have little or no information and
knowledge about the value of biodiversity.
It is needed to aware the people about the importance of
biodiversity.
 Among the different underutilized crops, particular focus
needs to be given to fruit and vegetable species.
Most of the underutilized fruit and vegetable species having
good source of different vitamins and minerals which will be
helpful to reduce the hidden hunger.

25. Infrastructure, capacity building and financial investment
• Need to be strengthened institutional capacity.
• Sufficient funding need to be available for research and
development
• Appropriate data regarding biodiversity need to be
documented .
• Need to disseminate the importance and benefits
underutilized crops.
• Trained and skilled personnel need to develop for maintaining
the biodiversity and utilizing underutilized crops.
• Efficient marketing channel need to be created for
commercialization underutilized crops

26. Contribution of underutilized crops to food, nutrition
and livelihood improvement
 Different underutilized crops contribute to a considerable
extent to major food crops.
 These are the source of carbohydrate, protein, vitamins,
minerals and offering medicinal and income generating
options.
 The potentiality of underutilized crops could be utilized
through production, processing and marketing which will
contribute to food security and the livelihood improvement
especially rural smallholders and reduce the nutritional
deficiency.

27. Future thrusts
• Strengthened the germplasm collection, characterization,
evaluation, documentation and variety development
• Genetic finger printing facilities to be made available for
assessing diversity.
• Preservation facilities ( in situ, on-farm, ex situ, field gene
bank, in vitro, cryo-preservation) for genetic material need to
be strengthened.
• Processing, value addition and product development of
different underutilized crops need to be initiated
• Need to effort on the commercialization and marketing for
promoting the economic benefit.
• Regional and international cooperation like technical and
financial support need to be required for maintenance of
biodiversity as well as research and development of
underutilized crops.

28. BARI Barley 3 BARI Barley 4
BARI Kaon 2
BARI Cheena 1
Pictorial views of some developed varieties of millets

29. Some Traditional Foods of Millets

30. Water lily TaroSpiny amaranth
Drone
Roselle
Drumstick
Ostrich fernIvy gourd
Pictorial views of some underutilized vegetables

31. Monkey jack
Cowa
Custard apple
Velvet appleWax jambu
Flacourtia
Pictorial views of some underutilized fruits
Karanda Carambola

32. Conclusion
 Different indigenous plants are mainly grown naturally and less
utilized in Bangladesh agriculture.
 Most of those plants species are tolerant to stress environment
like droughts, salinity, marshy land and poor soils and provide
food & important additional nutrients like vitamins and minerals
as well as medicinal value.
 Some of the cultivars/land races of underutilized crops are
conserved in gene banks, documented and also developed some
varieties which are needed to disseminate to the end users.
 It should also be strengthened the research and development
facilities for harnessing potentials of underutilized crops in
respect of food and nutrition especially to reduce the hidden
hunger of rural peoples in Bangladesh.

33. Thank you