African ‘orphan’ Crop

In News

• Recently, Researchers have identified genes in Africa’s local food crops that can improve resistance to drought.

About Orphan crops

• Meaning:
  • Orphan crops are nutritious local food crops that could play a crucial role in combating hunger. 
  • These crops are not traded internationally but have adapted themselves to grow in harsh weather conditions. 
• Crops:
  • Orphan crops like finger millets, little millet; African yam bean, jojoba and jatropha are commonly found in the continent.

Significance

• Climate change 
  • It is a solution to growing concerns of climate change hampering crop productivity.
  • It had identified genes that were high temperature tolerant, had increased salinity adaptability and had low water requirements that provided essential nutrition.
• Improve crop yield 
  • Incorporating these genes through hybridisation might improve crop yield that is affected by increasing global temperatures and heatwaves. 
• Tackling Heatwaves 
  • Countries like India and Pakistan are also likely to be affected by the prolonged heat waves. 
• Role of Africa
  • Africa is estimated to help meet 25 percent of the world population’s food needs by 2050.  

Source: DTE