The editorial, authored by Mihail Chervenkov of the University of Forestry and the Bulgarian Academy of Sciences, Marija Knez of the University of Belgrade, and Teodora Ivanova of the Bulgarian Academy of Sciences, synthesizes the findings of a multi-article Research Topic spanning nutrition, food science, consumer behavior, and agroecology. Its central claim is that the continued marginalization of these crops reflects a complex interplay of agronomic, socioeconomic, cultural, and market barriers rather than any deficiency in the crops themselves.

The technical case for NUS rests on several pillars. Many possess exceptional nutritional profiles, with high-quality protein, micronutrients, and bioactive compounds that rival or exceed those of staple commodities. Equally important is their adaptation to marginal environments: species that evolved under drought, poor soils, or temperature extremes offer built-in resilience that modern breeding programs often struggle to replicate in elite cultivars of major crops. Long histories of cultivation also mean that traditional knowledge about their agronomy and culinary use survives in many regions, providing a cultural foundation for renewed adoption.

The Research Topic begins with a crop-focused review of rye, presented as a traditional cereal whose nutritional composition and health-promoting properties justify renewed attention in contemporary food systems. Rye exemplifies a broader pattern: crops that were once dietary mainstays in Europe have been displaced by wheat and other commodities, despite documented benefits for metabolic health. The review of peas broadens the perspective to grain legumes, highlighting how a single multifunctional crop can address nutritional quality, environmental sustainability, and economic opportunity at once. Peas provide protein and micronutrients while improving soil fertility through biological nitrogen fixation, supporting sustainable crop rotations, and feeding into expanding plant-based food markets.

A review of chickpeas extends this logic further, emphasizing the crop’s nutritional, health, and culinary potential alongside the reduced environmental footprint of its production. Taken together, the editors argue, these crop-focused reviews provide compelling evidence that underutilized species can simultaneously support nutrition, environmental sustainability, and agricultural resilience. But demonstrating potential, they stress, is only the first step. Translating scientific evidence into dietary practice remains an equally formidable challenge.

That gap is quantified in a contribution comparing dietary recommendations with actual legume consumption patterns across European countries, which reveals persistent discrepancies between what nutrition authorities advise and what populations actually eat. The editors point to recent analyses showing that crops such as rye, pea, and chickpea remain marginal despite their climatic adaptability and recognized nutritional benefits, hindered by limited production, insufficient characterization and promotion of local genetic resources, dependence on imported raw materials, and weak integration into contemporary food markets.

Consumer behavior emerges as a decisive variable. One study explores the behavioral and socioeconomic factors influencing purchasing decisions regarding cereals, finding that health awareness, perceived value, and accessibility remain the key drivers of adoption. For crops such as buckwheat, successful revitalization requires overcoming limited consumer familiarity while addressing the sensory characteristics that shape food preferences. The editors note that recipe development, sensory evaluation, and market-oriented product innovation can measurably improve acceptance of NUS-based foods, demonstrating that revitalization depends on culinary creativity and consumer experience as much as on nutritional quality.

Innovation extends beyond the kitchen. Sustainable processing technologies, including green hydrogen-assisted extraction, are highlighted as a route to environmentally friendly recovery of bioactive compounds from NUS for functional foods and nutraceutical ingredients, adding industrial value to crops that might otherwise never leave the niche market. The scope of the topic also stretches beyond cultivated fields: the editors argue that the concept of underutilized food resources encompasses wild and locally harvested species whose nutritional, cultural, and ecological values remain insufficiently recognized.

Several contributions illustrate this wider frame. An analysis of local edible species traditionally used as wild vegetables on Hainan Island, including the calcium speciation of their tissues, shows how indigenous knowledge contributes to biodiversity conservation while sustaining food traditions. Research in Czechia demonstrates that wild foods follow distinct access pathways, with plant-based foods linked mainly to forest exposure and regulated animal foods shaped more by social networks and procurement systems, underscoring that revitalization requires attention to governance, accessibility, and cultural practice as much as to biology. An overview of millets in India’s Bundelkhand region broadens the lens from individual crops to agricultural landscapes, showing how resilient traditional species can strengthen food and nutrition security under increasingly challenging climatic conditions.

Viewed collectively, the editors identify three overarching themes. First, NUS should be regarded as multifunctional resources capable of simultaneously supporting nutrition, ecosystem services, and rural livelihoods. Second, scientific evidence on nutritional quality alone is insufficient to ensure wider adoption; consumer behavior, market development, food innovation, and sustainable processing are equally important. Third, biodiversity conservation, traditional knowledge, and climate resilience are not separate objectives but complementary dimensions of sustainable food systems. The editorial closes with a call for interdisciplinary collaboration linking plant breeding, characterization of local genetic resources, food technology, behavioral sciences, and policy development, along with greater attention to sustainable value chains, consumer awareness, and enabling policy environments. The message is unambiguous: these are not crops of the past, but strategic resources for building resilient, diversified, and nutrition-sensitive food systems capable of confronting the intertwined challenges of food security and environmental sustainability.

Subject of Research: Revitalization of neglected and underutilized plant species for human nutrition and agroecological resilience

Article Title: Editorial: Revitalization and sustainable utilization of neglected and underutilized plant species (NUS) for enhanced human nutrition and agroecological resilience

Article References: Chervenkov, M., Knez, M., & Ivanova, T. (2026). Editorial: Revitalization and sustainable utilization of neglected and underutilized plant species (NUS) for enhanced human nutrition and agroecological resilience. Frontiers in Nutrition, 13, Article 1980443. https://doi.org/10.3389/fnut.2026.1980443

Image Credits: AI Generated

DOI: 10.3389/fnut.2026.1980443

Keywords: neglected and underutilized species, agrobiodiversity, food security, climate adaptation, nutrition, sustainable agriculture, legumes, rye, buckwheat, millets, consumer behavior, biodiversity conservation

The scale of the problem the authors describe is staggering. Food systems are responsible for roughly a third of global greenhouse gas emissions, a figure that places agriculture and related land-use change among the largest drivers of climate change. Beyond carbon, food production accounts for about half of global habitat loss, making it the single most important force behind the erosion of the planet’s biological diversity. At the same time, diets dominated by ultra-processed foods and nutritional imbalances have become a leading contributor to the global burden of non-communicable diseases, from cardiovascular conditions to type 2 diabetes. The authors frame these three crises—climate, biodiversity and health—as interconnected outputs of the same dysfunctional system, one that continues to prioritize volume and efficiency over diversity, nutrition and ecological integrity.

What makes the argument distinctive is its diagnosis of why so little has been done. Sustainability agendas, the authors contend, have persistently favored supply-side interventions: technological fixes for agriculture, efficiency gains in production, precision farming, improved crop varieties and emissions reductions at the farm level. These approaches matter, and the paper is explicit that demand-side change does not substitute for transformation on the supply side. Rather, dietary shifts are the complement that has received far less policy attention. The imbalance, the researchers argue, is not a rational assessment of where the greatest leverage lies but a structural artifact of how food policy is organized, with agricultural ministries, trade regimes and research funding streams all oriented toward production while the demand side falls between institutional cracks.

The perspective draws on findings from four European Union Horizon research projects focused on agrifood systems—BIOVALUE, DIVINFOOD, RADIANT and CROPDIVA—which the authors coordinated or participated in, alongside the wider scientific literature. These projects share a common thread: an emphasis on agricultural biodiversity and the crops that industrial food systems have left behind. Neglected and underutilized species, abbreviated NUS in the research literature, occupy a central place in the argument. These are crops that once anchored regional diets and farming systems but have been marginalized by the homogenization of global food supply, which concentrates production on a handful of staple commodities. Reviving demand for such species, the authors suggest, could create market incentives for farmers to diversify, with cascading benefits for soil health, pollinators, genetic resources and landscape-level biodiversity.

The reframing at the heart of the paper treats diet not as a matter of individual virtue or consumer preference alone but as a cross-sectoral policy lever. When consumers shift their purchasing and eating patterns, they transmit signals through the entire food chain, from retail and processing back through farming and land use. Demand for diverse, plant-rich, locally adapted foods can pull production systems toward greater agroecological diversity, while demand for resource-intensive animal products pushes in the opposite direction. In this view, the dish—the concrete, culturally embedded meal that people actually eat—becomes the unit of analysis through which the entire food system can be steered. It is a deceptively simple idea with profound implications for how governments design climate, agricultural and health policy.

Crucially, the authors do not present dietary change as a matter of exhortation or consumer education alone. They outline the coordinated fiscal, regulatory, procurement and industrial mechanisms required to operationalize demand-side transformation. Fiscal tools could include adjusting taxes and subsidies so that prices reflect the true environmental and health costs of foods, making sustainable options more affordable and unsustainable ones less attractive. Regulatory instruments could reshape marketing, labeling and food environments, particularly in institutional settings. Public procurement—school meals, hospital catering, military and government canteens—represents a powerful and often underexploited channel through which public institutions can model and normalize sustainable diets at scale. Industrial policy, meanwhile, could support the development of supply chains, processing capacity and product innovation around diversified and underutilized crops, ensuring that shifts in demand are met by viable supply.

The identification of barriers is equally central to the argument. A credible sustainability agenda, the authors write, must now confront the principal obstacles that have kept dietary policy on the margins. These include the political economy of entrenched agricultural and food industry interests, the institutional fragmentation that separates health, environment and agriculture portfolios, cultural attachments to existing dietary patterns, and the affordability constraints that shape what low-income households can realistically eat. The paper’s framing implies that overcoming these barriers requires governance innovation: coordinated action across sectors and levels of government, backed by research infrastructures that connect crop diversity, nutrition science, consumer behavior and economic analysis. The four Horizon projects cited in the work exemplify the kind of transdisciplinary collaboration the authors see as necessary, spanning agricultural economics, plant science, food technology, sociology and nutrition across institutions in Greece, Italy, France, Portugal, Belgium and Serbia.

The public health dimension of the argument gives the biodiversity and climate case additional force. Diet-related non-communicable diseases now constitute the bulk of the global chronic disease burden, and the same dietary patterns that drive illness—high in processed foods, low in diverse plant foods—tend to be those with the heaviest environmental footprints. Aligning dietary guidance with sustainability objectives therefore offers a rare policy double dividend: interventions that improve population health while reducing emissions and pressure on ecosystems. The authors’ emphasis on neglected and underutilized species also carries nutritional significance, since many such crops are rich in micronutrients and adapted to local growing conditions, offering resilience advantages in a changing climate as well as dietary diversity benefits.

Economic resilience rounds out the case. Diversified farming systems built around a wider portfolio of crops can buffer farmers against market volatility, pest outbreaks and climate shocks in ways that monocultures cannot. Creating demand for a broader range of foods, the argument runs, is a precondition for such diversification to be economically viable. Without markets, farmers have little incentive to grow anything beyond the dominant commodities; with demand, biodiversity restoration becomes not a cost imposed on agriculture but a business opportunity within it. This demand-driven logic inverts the usual policy sequence, in which production is subsidized first and markets are expected to absorb whatever is grown.

The article, published open access in Discover Sustainability on 12 September 2026 after acceptance on 1 September, arrives at a moment when governments worldwide are under mounting pressure to deliver on climate commitments and biodiversity targets, including the global goal of halting and reversing nature loss. Its central message is that the evidence for demand-side dietary change is sufficient, and that what has been missing is the political and institutional machinery to act on it. By reframing the meal as a policy instrument—backed by fiscal reform, regulation, procurement power and industrial strategy—the authors offer a roadmap for turning the power of the dish into a genuine engine of food system transformation. Whether policymakers seize that lever, the paper suggests, will determine whether the coming decades bring biodiversity restoration and healthier populations, or a continued deepening of the crises that current, supply-focused approaches have failed to resolve.

Subject of Research: Demand-driven dietary shifts as a policy lever for biodiversity restoration and sustainable food systems

Article Title: The power of the dish for demand-driven dietary shifts towards biodiversity restoration and sustainable food systems

Article References: Mattas, K., Zouaghi, A., Nastis, S., Chiffoleau, Y., Vasconcelos, M., Dewitte, K., Haesaert, G., & Knez, M. (2026). The power of the dish for demand-driven dietary shifts towards biodiversity restoration and sustainable food systems. Discover Sustainability. https://doi.org/10.1007/s43621-026-04613-8

Image Credits: AI Generated

DOI: 10.1007/s43621-026-04613-8

Keywords: sustainable diets, dietary shifts, biodiversity restoration, food systems, neglected and underutilized species, climate change, public health, food policy, economic resilience, greenhouse gas emissions, EU Horizon projects, non-communicable diseases

At Volunteers Foundation Academy, researchers tracked the current meal program that typically featured ugali—maize porridge—as the staple, accompanied by side dishes such as sukuma wiki, a local variety of kale, or beans. Although these meals serve to fill hungry stomachs, they often fail to deliver adequate nutrition and essential vitamins that are critical for children’s growth and cognitive development. In a systematic analysis, the researchers employed the World Food Programme’s School Meal Planner (SMP) PLUS software. This advanced tool proved invaluable, allowing them to pinpoint five climate-resistant crops, known as NUS, that could enhance the nutritional profile of the school meals.

The identified crops include African nightshade, spider plant, Bambara groundnut, hyacinth bean, and slender leaf. These crops are not only rich in essential vitamins, proteins, and minerals, but they are also seldom featured in traditional Kenyan diets. The incorporation of these NUS could provide a much-needed nutritional boost by meeting up to 30% of children’s daily dietary requirements. Moreover, these changes could lead to substantial cost reductions—by as much as 67% for school meal programs—effectively making healthy eating more accessible for cash-strapped families.

The researchers strongly advocate leveraging local biodiversity to transform not only the nutritional landscape of the school meals but also to rally support for smallholder farmers producing these crops. By developing programmes that support local agriculture, there is the potential to create a sustainable food system in urban environments like Kibera. The link between food production and education is essential; improving the diets of schoolchildren can lead to better health outcomes and enhanced academic performance.

Despite the undeniable benefits of these nutritious, locally sourced meals, the researchers highlighted that systemic changes are necessary to make these improvements a reality. Policymakers are called upon to support initiatives that incorporate local procurement into school feeding programs. This dual approach benefits students and supports local economies simultaneously, laying the foundation for a more sustainable future.

In Kenya, the pressing reality is that nearly 80% of the population cannot afford a healthy diet, a statistic that underscores the urgency of reform in school meal initiatives. The current state of food insecurity calls for innovative solutions that can be immediately actionable. School feeding programs, if designed with a focus on nutrition and local sourcing, could act as a catalyst for significant change, potentially transforming the lives of future generations.

The findings of this case study are a clarion call for action—providing insights into practical solutions that take advantage of underutilized agricultural resources. The potential for implementing such programs goes beyond immediate benefits; they also foster a culture of sustainability and mindfulness around food sources. By investing in these strategies, not only do we address the urgent nutritional needs of schoolchildren, but we also promote resilience within local farming systems, creating a positive feedback loop that benefits all stakeholders.

Furthermore, as the research team, which comprises experts from the University of Florence and the Alliance of Bioversity International and CIAT, articulately expresses, this integrative strategy is essential for establishing long-term benefits both for the children in these schools and for the farmers cultivating these forgotten crops. The voices of those involved underscore a shared vision for communal growth—one where education and nutrition converge to empower a generation that is healthier, stronger, and more capable of contributing positively to society.

As we look toward potential implementations of these programmatic changes, the voice of local communities must be at the forefront. Engaging parents, teachers, and farmers not only enriches the decision-making process but also ensures that the solutions enacted are culturally relevant and widely supported. Meaningful engagement may prove crucial for sustaining these initiatives amidst the challenges posed by poverty and urbanization.

The study presents not merely data, but a roadmap for transformative change, marking an important step toward rethinking how we approach school meals in contexts of food insecurity. The concept of utilizing locally available resources in education settings is both an innovative and practical strategy, one that breathes life into the notion of sustainability. As food systems continue to evolve, the integration of NUS in school meal programs stands as a pivotal intervention that could spearhead a new era of food security and nutritional health in Kenya.

In conclusion, as the work progresses from academic research to practical application in schools, the ultimate goal remains clear: to ensure that children not only receive a meal but are also nourished by wholesome, locally-sourced foods that empower them physically and cognitively. By prioritizing nutrition in school feeding programs, there exists a powerful opportunity to reshape the future of urban food systems, ultimately leading to a healthier society as a whole. This initiative exemplifies the kind of creative solutions needed to tackle pressing global challenges like hunger and malnutrition.

As the dialogue surrounding nutrition in education grows, we remain hopeful that the vision of accessible, nutritious meals for every child will transition from aspiration to reality, fostering a generation that thrives in the face of adversity.

Subject of Research: Enhancing nutrition in school meals using neglected and underutilized species
Article Title: Enhancing Nutrition and Cost Efficiency in Kenyan School Meals Using Neglected and Underutilized Species and Linear Programming: A Case Study from an Informal Settlement
News Publication Date: 11-Mar-2025
Web References: Sustainability Journal
References: Not applicable
Image Credits: Alliance of Bioversity and CIAT / A.Manjella

Keywords

Nutritional improvement, school meals, Kenya, local agriculture, sustainable food systems, neglected species, health benefits, community engagement, food security, policy recommendations.