by DANIELLE NIERENBERG
Be sure to eat your vegetables! Not only are they nutritious (vegetables are full of Vitamin A, iron, protein, and other nutrients), but they also add a pop of color and burst of flavor to meals. And, they can play a critical role in healing the food system.
Unfortunately, vegetables are too often overlooked—ignored by researchers and scientists, governments, and by the funding and donor communities. Very little research or funding goes toward vegetable production. Instead, it goes toward staple crops, especially maize, wheat, and soy. Vegetables are even considered a luxury for many of the world’s poor, and, in some cases, indigenous vegetables are thought of as weeds, not food.
As a result, some 2 billion people across the globe suffer from micronutrient deficiencies that can stunt mental and physical development, while curbing economic development.
Vegetables are also beneficial when grown in drought-plagued regions. According to researchers at AVRDC—The World Vegetable Center, indigenous vegetables are more resilient to drought and disease than staple crops.
Here’s why: vegetables are typically ready for harvest in less time than staple crops and they maximize scarce water supplies and even soil nutrients.
Clearly, vegetables are essential to the survival of individuals and communities, especially in the face of climate change. We need to invest more in vegetables to create a food system that nourishes both people and the planet!