A dish of pigweed please

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

In an effort to diversify the diet of a global population bursting at the seams,several ancient, often forgotten foods are making their way to the dinner table. These include  Aztec pigweed and  dragon beans among others.



As rising temperatures wreak havoc on farmers worldwide, scientists are seeking new ways to feed a population that is set to boom to an estimated 9.8 billion by 2050 and they just  got  Royal approval as Britain's  Prince Charles launched the Forgotten Foods Network when he visited Crops For The Future – a partnership between the University of Nottingham and the government of Malaysia, that researches underutilized crops.



The  initiative is meant to cut the world's dependency on major crops like wheat and rice  to rediscover long-lost crops, fruit and vegetables.



Ancient food like pigweed once eaten by the Aztecs can be eaten raw or be ground into flour - one of many crops that could add valuable nutrients to a limited modern diet, say experts.
"We must move beyond the 'business as usual' approach of relying on monocultures of major, well-known crops, and invest in agricultural diversity," Charles said in video message.
The initiative was developed by Crops For the Future, a Malaysian organisation doing crop research. Prince Charles launched the campaign at their headquarters last week.