Frequently Asked Questions

1. What are Opportunity Crops?

Opportunity crops are plant species with unrealized potential to improve food and nutritional security. They are traditionally grown and used in certain regions but have not received widespread attention or development compared to major global crops. Often indigenous to particular areas, opportunity crops are typically grown by smallholder farmers in developing regions, and may have high nutritional value, resilience to local environmental conditions or cultural significance. 

2. Why are Opportunity Crops important?

Opportunity crops contribute to agricultural biodiversity, which is crucial for maintaining the stability and resilience of ecosystems. By diversifying the types of crops grown, we reduce reliance on major crops that may be vulnerable to pests, diseases and climate-related stresses. Opportunity crops are often adapted to harsh local conditions. They can play an important role in diversifying agricultural systems and making them more resilient to these challenges.

3. What information can I find about each crop on this portal?

For each BOLDER opportunity crop, the knowledge base provides detailed crop profiles, nutritional benefits, latest published research, known genebank accessions in Genesys and information on the role that these crops play in the livelihoods of women and youth.

4. What is the Opportunity Crop knowledge base, and how does it work?

Our Opportunity Crops Knowledge Base includes a curated collection of annotated citations on plant species, providing access to research articles, studies, and reports relevant to these crops. The knowledge base provides a searchable interface that allows users to customize queries by crop, topic, keywords, publication title, author name and type of publication.

5. Who can benefit from this knowledge?

The knowledge base is designed for a wide range of users: researchers, farmers, students, educators, policymakers and anyone interested in sustainable agriculture and food security. It provides both practical information and scientific insights that are useful for all levels of expertise.

6. How were these 15 opportunity crops selected?

The initial 15 crops were chosen in stakeholder meetings in Benin, Ghana, Uganda and Tanzania as part of BOLDER activities. Criteria such as potential adaptability to extreme climatic conditions, nutritional content, potential local marketability and existing use in local food preparations were used to select the opportunity crops.

7. Who supports the Opportunity Crops Knowledge Base?

This knowledge base was made possible with support by the Government of Norway, as part of the Crop Trust’s BOLDER project. This initiative aims to improve nutritional security in West and East Africa through the increased use and value of nutritious but currently underused, climate-resilient and environment-friendly crops.

8. How often is the information updated?

The portal is updated regularly as new research and data become available, ensuring the information provided is current and useful for our users. We strive to maintain up-to-date resources for all opportunity crops featured here. We also plan to update the knowledge base as the Crop Trust widens support for opportunity crops through other projects and initiatives.

9. Can I contribute data or research to the portal?

Yes! We welcome information from researchers, institutions, and other contributors who wish to assist in expanding the knowledge base. If you have publications, research activities and information on opportunity crops, please contact us at media@croptrust.org. For questions related to Genesys contact helpdesk@genesys-pgr.org.