The Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO) has urged greater
use of neglected traditional grains, saying that there is global
overreliance on just a handful of staple foods. Speaking at the
“Crops for the 21st Century” seminar in Córdoba, Spain this
week, FAO director-general José Graziano da Silva said that most
of the global population’s calories come from four crops: Wheat,
maize, rice and potatoes – and our diets have become more
homogenous with increased globalisation. This has led to the
loss of many traditional foods, as well as less agricultural
biodiversity. “‘Neglected’ crops that are currently
underutilized by farmers can play an important role addressing
the food and agriculture challenges of the future and should be
re-evaluated,” he said. "…Currently there are about 870 million
hungry people in the world, a world that produces enough food
for everyone. Globalisation has created an abundance of food in
some parts of the world, but has failed to end the chronic
shortages that exist elsewhere. " G