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Lost Crops of Africa: Volume I: Grains (1996)

Chapter: Appendix I: Lost Crops of Africa Series

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Suggested Citation:"Appendix I: Lost Crops of Africa Series." National Research Council. 1996. Lost Crops of Africa: Volume I: Grains. Washington, DC: The National Academies Press. doi: 10.17226/2305.
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APPENDIX I
Lost Crops of Africa Series

This is the first in a series of books highlighting the promise to be found in food plants native to Africa. The second and third volumes in the series are now being prepared for publication, and the fourth, fifth, and sixth are in the planning stage. Following are lists of the plants now being considered.

Volume 2: Cultivated Fruits

Balanites (Desert Date)

Balanites aegyptiaca

Baobab

Adansonia digitata

Butterfruit (Africado)

Dacryodes edulis

Carissa

Carissa spp., esp. C. macrocarpa

Horned Melon

Cucumis metuliferus

Kei Apple

Dovyalis caffra

Marula

Sclerocryo caffra

Melon

Cucumis melo

Tamarind

Tamcarindus indica

Watermelon

Citrullus lanatus

Ziziphus

Ziziphus mauritiana

Volume 3: Wild Fruits

African Medlars

Vangueria madagascariensis

Aizen

Boscia spp.

Chocolate Berries

Vitex spp.

Custard Apples

Annona senegalensis

Figs

Ficus spp.

Gemsbok Cucumber

Acanthosicyos naudinianus

Gingerbread Plums

Parinari spp.

Grapes

Vitis spp.

Icacina (False Yam)

Icacina oliviformis

Imbe (African Mangosteen)

Garcinia livingstonei

Milkwoods

Mimusops spp.

Suggested Citation:"Appendix I: Lost Crops of Africa Series." National Research Council. 1996. Lost Crops of Africa: Volume I: Grains. Washington, DC: The National Academies Press. doi: 10.17226/2305.
×

Monkey Apple

Anisophyllea laurina

Monkey Orange

Strychnos spp.

Nara

Acanthosicyos horrida

Raisin Trees

Grewia spp.

Rubber Fruits

Landolphia spp.

Sour Plum

Ximenia spp.

Star Apples

Chrysophyllum spp.

Sugar Plums

Uapaca spp.

Sweet Detar

Detarium senegalense

Tree Grapes

Lannea spp.

Tree Strawberry

Nauclea spp.

Velvet Tamarind

Dialium guineense

Water Berry

Syzygium guineense

Wild Plum

Pappea capensis

Volume 4: Vegetables

African Eggplant

Solanum macrocarpon

Amaranths

Amaranthus spp.

Bitterleaf

Vernonia amygdalina

Bitter Melon

Momordica spp.

Baobab

Adansonia digitata

Bologi

Crassocephalum biafrae

Bungu

Ceratotheca sesamoides

Bur Gherkin

Cucumis spp.

Celosia

Celosia spp.

Cleome

Cleome gynandra

Crotalaria

Crotalaria spp.

Dayflowers

Commelina spp.

Edible Flowers

Various species

Edible Mushrooms

Various species

Edible Trees

Various species

Egusi-ito

Cucumeropsis mannii

Enset

Ensete ventricosum

Ethiopian Mustard

Brassica carinata

Fluted Pumpkin

Telfairia occidentalis

Garden Cress

Lepidium spp.

Gherkins

Cucumis spp.

Horned Melon (Kiwano)

Cucumis metuliferus

Jilo

Solanum gilo

Mock Tomato

Solanum aethiopicum

Okra

Abelmoschus esculentus

Ogunmo

Solanum melanocerasum

Suggested Citation:"Appendix I: Lost Crops of Africa Series." National Research Council. 1996. Lost Crops of Africa: Volume I: Grains. Washington, DC: The National Academies Press. doi: 10.17226/2305.
×

Oyster Nut

Telfairia pedata

Spirulina

Spirulina spp.

Water Leaf

Talinum spp.

Volume 5: Legumes

Bambara Groundnut

Vigna subterranea

Cowpea

Vigna unguiculata

Grass Pea

Lathyrus spp.

Guar

Cyamopsis tetragonoloba

Groundbean

Macrotyloma geocarpa

Lablab

Lablab purpureus

Locust Beans

Parkia spp.

Marama Bean

Bauhinia esculenta

Pigeon Pea

Cajanus cajan

Sword Bean

Canavalia spp.

Velvet Tamarind

Dialium spp.

Volume 6: Roots and Tubers

African Yam Bean

Sphenostylis spp.

Anchote

Coccinia spp.

Guinea Yam

Dioscorea x cayenensis

Potato Yam

Dioscorea esculenta

Other Yams

Dioscorea spp.

Hausa Potato

Solenostemon rotundifolius

Sudan Potato

Solenostemon parviflorus

Livingstone Potato

Plectranthus esclentus

Wing bean Roots

Psophocarpus spp.

Tiger Nut (Chufa)

Cyperus esculentus

Vigna Roots

Vigna spp., especially V. vexillata

We hope that this set of reports will alert everyone to the wealth of foods that are Africa's own heritage. We also hope to continue the series with volumes on nuts, oilseeds, spices, beverage plants, and others. Collectively, the resulting wealth of knowledge and guidance might well lead to a "second front" in the war on hunger in what is now the most hunger-ravaged part of the world.

Suggested Citation:"Appendix I: Lost Crops of Africa Series." National Research Council. 1996. Lost Crops of Africa: Volume I: Grains. Washington, DC: The National Academies Press. doi: 10.17226/2305.
×

We would very much like to hear from readers who would like to contribute to these future volumes. Send your name and the crop in which you're interested to:

Noel D. Vietmeyer, FO 2060

National Academy of Sciences

2101 Constitution Avenue, N.W.

Washington, DC 20418, USA

Fax: (202) 334-2660

Email: nvietmey@nas.edu

Above all, we'd like to appeal for photographs. Locating pictures for this book on grains has been a monumental headache; finding interesting shots for the future volumes will likely be even harder.

Suggested Citation:"Appendix I: Lost Crops of Africa Series." National Research Council. 1996. Lost Crops of Africa: Volume I: Grains. Washington, DC: The National Academies Press. doi: 10.17226/2305.
×
Page 363
Suggested Citation:"Appendix I: Lost Crops of Africa Series." National Research Council. 1996. Lost Crops of Africa: Volume I: Grains. Washington, DC: The National Academies Press. doi: 10.17226/2305.
×
Page 364
Suggested Citation:"Appendix I: Lost Crops of Africa Series." National Research Council. 1996. Lost Crops of Africa: Volume I: Grains. Washington, DC: The National Academies Press. doi: 10.17226/2305.
×
Page 365
Suggested Citation:"Appendix I: Lost Crops of Africa Series." National Research Council. 1996. Lost Crops of Africa: Volume I: Grains. Washington, DC: The National Academies Press. doi: 10.17226/2305.
×
Page 366
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Lost Crops of Africa: Volume I: Grains Get This Book
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Scenes of starvation have drawn the world's attention to Africa's agricultural and environmental crisis. Some observers question whether this continent can ever hope to feed its growing population. Yet there is an overlooked food resource in sub-Saharan Africa that has vast potential: native food plants.

When experts were asked to nominate African food plants for inclusion in a new book, a list of 30 species grew quickly to hundreds. All in all, Africa has more than 2,000 native grains and fruits—"lost" species due for rediscovery and exploitation.

This volume focuses on native cereals, including:

  • African rice, reserved until recently as a luxury food for religious rituals.
  • Finger millet, neglected internationally although it is a staple for millions.
  • Fonio (acha), probably the oldest African cereal and sometimes called "hungry rice."
  • Pearl millet, a widely used grain that still holds great untapped potential.
  • Sorghum, with prospects for making the twenty-first century the "century of sorghum."
  • Tef, in many ways ideal but only now enjoying budding commercial production.
  • Other cultivated and wild grains.

This readable and engaging book dispels myths, often based on Western bias, about the nutritional value, flavor, and yield of these African grains.

Designed as a tool for economic development, the volume is organized with increasing levels of detail to meet the needs of both lay and professional readers. The authors present the available information on where and how each grain is grown, harvested, and processed, and they list its benefits and limitations as a food source.

The authors describe "next steps" for increasing the use of each grain, outline research needs, and address issues in building commercial production.

Sidebars cover such interesting points as the potential use of gene mapping and other "high-tech" agricultural techniques on these grains.

This fact-filled volume will be of great interest to agricultural experts, entrepreneurs, researchers, and individuals concerned about restoring food production, environmental health, and economic opportunity in sub-Saharan Africa.

Selection, Newbridge Garden Book Club

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