or no external inputs Receive little attention from research, extension services, policy and decision makers, and consumers May be highly nutritious and/or have medicinal properties or other multiple uses Neglected crops are primarily grown by traditional farmers. These species may be widely distributed beyond their centres of origin but tend to occupy special niches in the local production and consumption systems. They are important for the subsistence of local communities, yet remain poorly documented and neglected by the mainstream research and development activities. Many staple crops, especially in the developing world, are poorly studied by researchers. For example, the Green Revolution saw massive changes in agricultural productivity in Asia, but African crops saw little benefit. Importance They continue to play an important role in the subsistence and economy of poor people throughout the developing world, particularly in the agrobiodiversity-rich tropics. Despite their potential for dietary diversification and the provision of micronutrients such as vitamins and minerals, they continue to attract little research and development attention. Alongside their commercial potential, many of the underused crops also provide important environmental services, as they are adapted to marginal soil and climate conditions. Constraints The following are frequent constraints: limited germplasm available; lack of technical information; lack of national policy; lack of interest by researchers, agriculturists and extension workers; lack of producer interest. Examples Determination of the underutilized status of a crop varies among researchers. Different criteria and approaches are used to define this particular group of crop. Neglect refers to the attention the crop has received from research and development and can be evaluated by how well national and international policy and legal frameworks and research and development programs support the conservation and sustainable use of the crop. Underutilization is particular to the geography and potential for a crop to contribute to better to diets and production systems. In any cases where exotic species or diversified species are underutilized at certain region, these are not necessarily underutilized in other parts of the world. Below is an example list of neglected and underutilized species that is not exhaustive. Cereal and pseudocereal crops Fruits and nuts species Vegetable and pulse crops Root and tuber crops Other crops Ensete ventricosum Industrial underutilized crops Oil seeds International events that fostered underutilized crops 1987 - Establishment of the International Centre for Underutilized Crops (ICUC) 1996 - The FAO Global Plan of Action for Plant Genetic Resources for Food