MAINSTREAMING THE USE OF NUTRIENT-RICH UNDERUTILIZED PLANT FOOD RESOURCES IN DIETS CAN POSITIVELY IMPACT ON FAMILY FOOD AND NUTRITION SECURITY – DATA FROM NORTHEAST INDIA AND WEST AFRICA

Neglected and underutilized plant food resources constitute the bedrock of the diversity in traditional food systems of developing country communities. The general belief that there is a lack of reliable information and evidence to justify promoting their use as dependable nutrient-rich food resources has hindered attempts to integrate them into contemporary food systems thus engendering the mainstreaming of their use in dietary habits. Using two contrasting regions (West Africa and northeast India) with different socio-political environments, the authors explored options that could be used in both regions to effectively integrate these foods into contemporary food systems thereby engendering the mainstreaming of their use by resource-poor families and communities in particular. Citing recent successful efforts in mainstreaming the use of indigenous underutilized leafy vegetables in Nairobi, Kenya, the authors suggest an integrated model that takes into consideration the diversity of traditional food systems, contemporary markets, and the traditional food culture as essential components of a resulting food system that can support the nutrition and health of both rural and urban populations.