DIVERSICROP: Mapping historic practices and current challenges to understand why some crops are underutilized in Europe
Dr. Sónia Negrão (School of Biology and Environmental Science) and Dr. Meriel McClatchie (School of Archaeology) provide an update on their project, DIVERSICROP, which is supported by the Earth Institute Strategic Priority Support Mechanism. Most of the human dietary energy intake in Europe depends on about 20 plant species. Several of these underutilized crops are stress-resilient, nutrient-dense and have long been grown in Europe, but are not widespread nowadays due to complex issues, including social avoidance, perceived low yields and lack of governmental policies to encourage cultivation. DIVERSICROP is establishing an interdisciplinary and cross-European network of partners to investigate the historic and current trends that have resulted in the underutilization of such crops in Europe, despite their potential for food and nutrition security.
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