There was a time when no one asked for these crops but today their value is more than the main crops and many of their by-products can be seen in the market. Food crops such as tef, finger millet, yam, roots, tubers millet, sorghum and cassava, among many others Several pulses are considered orphan crops, along with certain types of cereals, fruits, nuts, vegetables, roots, tubers and oil seeds that are primarily that tend to be regionally important but not traded around the world and grown for subsistence as they are not commercially viable. These crops, which are common and widely accepted by local farmers, are highly rich in nutritional profile, good for medicinal purposes, and well adapted to suboptimal growing conditions. Significance of orphan crops in ensuring food security globally. Orphan crops are incredibly important in the countries where they're grown. They provide income for the poorest farmers and serve as staples in the local diet. With more frequent extreme climatic events and continued land degradation, orphan crops are beginning to receive renewed attention as alternative crops for dietary diversification in marginal environments and, by extension, across the globe. Increased awareness of good health is also a major contributor to the revived attention accorded to orphan crops. Planting more of these abandoned orphan crops could help alleviate food scarcities in the challenge of future climate crises.

Annabatula Sree Vidya

to integrate orphan crops into modern agricultural systems while preserving traditional knowledge, the following steps can be taken:

To integrate the growing of orphan crops into modern agriculture there is a need to document their nutritional value, consumption styles, i.e. how people in the society use these crops as food. Furthermore, what can be done to add value to them? Can they processed into what finished products? Can they be used as processed foods as part of other dishes? cane they be packaged and consumed later? can they be blended with other food stuffs? Can they be made into paste, powder, porridge, baked and sealed and/or packaged? In short that is discovering and recovering and investigating the use or purpose why these crops need to be integrated into main stream agriculture...

Integration of orphan crops into modern agricultural systems while preserving TK will require interdisciplinary (social scientists and natural scientists) research on; socio-cultural, socio-economic, climatic, biotic, edaphic, physiographic (external factors) and internal factors ( maturity period, yielding levels, tolerance to shocks, chemical composition of the yield) to mention but a few. The traditional knowledge preservation plays key role especially in understanding existing and required agronomic practices being employed by the indigenous during production of orphan crops and their lifecycles (annual, biannual & perennial), methods and procedures of value chain, storage facilities, marketing, demand and supply forces analysis, cost-benefits analysis, ways of preparation and consumption are some determinants which should be taken into consideration in the integrating orphan crops. In other words, due to rapid global population, modern agricultural systems are tailored in addressing the gap between food systems and rapid population growth. Modern agricultural systems are mostly external inputs (machineries, synthetic chemicals etc) intensive and that may not be feasible to orphan crops because of unknown attributes they have. Therefore, involvement of different and relevant stakeholders will pave ways in achieving the goal.

There is low investment in R&D for orphan crops in general. Governments and the private sector are not investing in developing high-yielding varieties and demand-friendly consumer products. Other cereals like maize are much ahead because they have received more attention than millet.

Jones Govereh It is true that compared to major staple crops, research and development for orphan crops(OC) often receives less funding. Not to highlight adequate infrastructure for OC production, processing, and distribution is still lacking in many regions. Besides that creating sustainable markets for OC products & availability of high-quality seeds of many UC varieties remains a challenge.

John Issa Tellespholias Simuyandi Maanya Prem Baboo Noura Aljarjary India is witnessing a resurgence of interest and focus on millets.

While they were once staples in the Indian diet, their cultivation and consumption declined significantly with the Green Revolution. However, the recognition of their nutritional value, drought resilience, and potential for sustainable agriculture has brought millets back into the spotlight. The Indian government has declared 2023 as the International Year of Millets, signaling a strong commitment to promoting millet cultivation and consumption. There has been increased research on millet varieties, cultivation techniques, and value-added products. Institutes like the Indian Institute of Millets Research (IIMR) are at the forefront of this effort. Campaigns are being undertaken to educate people about the nutritional benefits of millets, leading to increased consumer demand. Efforts are being made to develop new millet-based products and expand their market reach, both domestically and internationally. Government schemes and programs are being implemented to encourage farmers to cultivate millets, providing them with necessary support and incentives. But that being said all these achievement comes with some challenges,

1)While progress has been made, millet yields are still lower compared to major cereals like rice and wheat.

2)Improved processing and storage facilities are needed to handle the increased millet production.

3)Sustained efforts are required to educate consumers about the versatility of millets and incorporate them into their daily diets.

4) India has the potential to become a major exporter of millets, but strategic planning and market development are essential.

I would really appreciate if all could contribute to one such case from your region, this will not only help to understand the research gap but also aids in building strategic plans.