This 3-book series Lost Crops of Africa (Volumes I, II and III on Grains, Vegetables, and Fruits, published in 1996, 2006 and 2008, respectively) is a treasure for us all, but especially for the African continent, with the hope it presents of growing food security for its 1 billion people!
Compiled and published by the National Research Council, the purpose of these books is to highlight the magnificent assortment of native African crop varieties, and their potential for expanding and diversifying African and world food supplies. The material presented is extremely interesting and well organized. Each crop mentioned is illustrated with photos and drawings, a map showing its natural growing areas, a chart of nutritional content, prospects for its use, and growing, harvesting and handling information and additional information about individual crops. Great books for anyone interested, whether for research, study, enjoyment, or growing purposes.
Grains covered: rice, millet, fonio (acha) pearl millet, sorghum, and teff, including sub-varieties for subsistence use, commercial use, fuel and utility use, as well as other cultivated grains and wild grains.
Vegetables covered: amaranth, bambara bean, baobab, celosia, cowpea, dika, eggplant, egusi and related plants, enset, lablab, locust bean, long bean, marama, moringa, native potatoes, okra, shea and yambean.
Cultivated Fruits covered: balanites, baobab, butterfruit, carissa, horned melon, kei apple, marula, melon, tamarind, and watermelon.
Wild Fruits covered: chocolate berries (tell me that alone doesn’t make you want to read more!) custard apples, ebony, gingerbread plums, gumvines, icacina, imbe, medlars, monkey oranges, star apples, sugarplums, sweet detar and tree grapes.
Topics include summaries of the qualities of individual species, potential roles for selected African vegetables, overcoming malnutrition, boosting food security, fostering rural development, sustainable land care, increasing wild fruit usage, developing wild fruits, nutrition, sustainable forestry, and social difficulties.
Sounds great, I will definitely read these books. Thanks for sharing!