Open Access

Laura Newton

• Food insecurity remains a critical issue in Mozambique, where climate variability, socio-economic challenges and over-dependence on staple crops have left many communities vulnerable to malnutrition and poverty. Neglected and Underutilised Crop Species (NUCS), which are adapted to Mozambique's diverse agro-ecological zones and can thrive in marginal environments, hold much potential in addressing both food insecurity issues and improving local agro-biodiversity. Unfortunately, as the name suggests, NUCS remain under-researched and largely disregarded by the general population despite their potential to diversify nutritionally poor diets. This also translates to their value chain which remains mostly underdeveloped. On the other hand side, foods considered as superfoods have found success globally, despite having the same core characteristics as NUCS. Thus, this research aims to learn from global superfoods by identifying success factors along their value chain and leveraging these factors to identify areas of intervention for NUCS in Mozambique, more specifically, using the example of the Spiny Monkey Orange. NUCS hold much potential to strengthen local food security, enhance biodiversity and provide economic opportunities for smallholder farmers. Through the recommendations for policy interventions, suggestions for research priorities and highlighting the need for a multi stakeholder approach, this research aims to increase the visibility of NUCS in Mozambique in order to develop these promising crops in a sustainable and equitable manner.