The paper discusses possible approaches to promote partnerships in the area of underutilized species/minor crops. IPGRI has several years of experience in this domain, involving a variety of stakeholders, sharing efforts in addressing the better conservation and use of these species across regions and focusing on issues ranging from domestication, market potential to documentation and networking.
It is clear that a blend of old and new approaches is needed to achieve the sustainable promotion of these less-used crops in order to contribute to economic development, well being of people as well as maintenance of genetic diversity and its associated local knowledge. A better understanding of socio-economic mechanisms that hinder the greater deployment of these crops of local significance is fundamental to strengthen their role in poverty alleviation.
It is recognised that most underutilized crops are of local or regional importance and therefore it is most appropriate to foster partnerships at this level. Several mechanisms (including the GFAR SC) exist to ensure that lessons learned in one region can also benefit other regions. The strengthening of the links among international stakeholders involved in the promotion of underutilized species is indeed strategic to allow best use of existing capacities and promote synergism across regions