ReviewFrontiers in pharmacology2021
Neglected and Underutilised Crops: A Systematic Review of Their Potential as Food and Herbal Medicinal Crops in South Africa.
Review in Frontiers in pharmacology, 2021. The graph could read no effect estimate from its abstract, so it casts no vote on the map. Cited by 20 papers.
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Who cites it
20 citing papers in PubMed, 71 citations in OpenAlex.
- Assessing the Potential of Multispectral UAV-Derived Vegetation Indices for Estimating Water Use of Taro (Plants (Basel, Switzerland) · 2026Article
- Ethnobotany-guided exploration of plant-derived photosensitizer candidates for photodynamic therapy.Photochemical & photobiological sciences : Official journal of the European Photochemistry Association and the European Society for Photobiology · 2026Review
- Consumer Acceptability and Community Perceptions of Indigenous Crop-Enriched Stiff Pap in Rural KwaZulu-Natal, South Africa: Implications for Sustainable Food System Transformation.Foods (Basel, Switzerland) · 2026Article
- Amaranth as a sustainable feed resource for livestock.Veterinary and animal science · 2026Review
- The potential use of hydrogen in the extraction of phytochemicals from neglected and underutilized plant species for enhanced human nutrition.Frontiers in nutrition · 2026Review
- Climate-crop models to support opportunity crop adaptation in Africa.Nature communications · 2025Article
- Research and developmental strategies to hasten the improvement of orphan crops.GM crops & food · 2025Review
- Ethnobotanical study of wild edible plants in Karamara forest patches, Eastern Ethiopia.Tropical medicine and health · 2025Article
- Article
- Factors Associated with the Consumption of Indigenous Crops Among Farming Households in KwaZulu-Natal, South Africa.Foods (Basel, Switzerland) · 2025Article
- Basic proposal for evaluation of plant genetic resources to generate new crops.Frontiers in plant science · 2025Review
- Improving growth and yield ofFrontiers in plant science · 2025Article
- Underutilized crops for diverse, resilient and healthy agri-food systems: a systematic review of sub-Saharan Africa.Frontiers in sustainable food systems · 2024Article
- Underutilized plants increase biodiversity, improve food and nutrition security, reduce malnutrition, and enhance human health and well-being. Let's put them back on the plate!Nutrition reviews · 2024Review
- High-Altitude Medicinal Plants as Promising Source of Phytochemical Antioxidants to Combat Lifestyle-Associated Oxidative Stress-Induced Disorders.Pharmaceuticals (Basel, Switzerland) · 2024Review
- Monitoring ofCurrent medical mycology · 2024Article
- Editorial: Neglected and underutilized crop species for sustainable food and nutritional security: prospects and hidden potential.Frontiers in plant science · 2023Article
- Bambara Groundnut Rhizobacteria Antimicrobial and Biofertilization Potential.Frontiers in plant science · 2022Article
- Lessons from integrated seasonal forecast-crop modelling in Africa: A systematic review.Open life sciences · 2022Review
- Review
Corrections and comments
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Authors and funding
4 authors at 1 institution in 1 country.
Funding
No grant is acknowledged in the PubMed record.
Abstract
The African continent harbours many native species with nutraceutical and pharmaceutical potential. This study reviewed underutilised crops in South Africa to determine their potential as food and herbal medicinal crops. Over 5,000 species have been identified and earmarked for their medical attributes in formal and informal setups. Researchers, plant breeders and policymakers have mostly ignored the development potential of these crops. Consequently, their value chains are poorly developed. In South Africa, there is a wide range of neglected and underutilised crops, which were historically popular and used by communities; however, over the years, they have lost their status within farming systems and been relegated to the status of neglected and underutilised. Recently, driven by the need to transition to more sustainable and resilient food systems, there has been renewed interest in their potential as food and herbal medicinal crops to establish new value chains that include vulnerable groups. They are now gaining global attention, and their conservation and sustainable utilisation are now being prioritized. The review confirmed that several of these crops possess nutraceutical and pharmaceutical properties, highlighting their potential for development as food and herbal medicines. However, current production levels are too low to meet the requirements for industrial development; research and development should focus on all aspects of their value chain, from crop improvement to utilisation. A transdisciplinary approach involving a wide range of actors is needed to develop the identified neglected and underutilised crops' potential as food and herbal medicinal crops and support the development of new and inclusive value chains.
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Registered trials
Read under generation 80e0d062 · epoch 390. Bibliography from PubMed, PubMed Central and OpenAlex; grants from NIH RePORTER; trial links from ClinicalTrials.gov; estimates, votes and beliefs from the OpenQuestion graph.