Proposal for new crops from wild plants with food potential

Abstract

One of humanity's greatest challenges is ensuring sufficient agricultural production to meet the basic needs of an ever-growing population. Currently, food insecurity and malnutrition affect a large portion of the world's population. In Mexico, 5,000 to 7,000 useful plants are reported, and their use occurs primarily in situ, although they are also collected for cultivation in home gardens for medicinal, forage, food, ornamental, cultural, or artisanal purposes (such as basketry). The multifunctional use of wild flora is an integral part of rural communities' strategies that contribute to food security and the diversification of the local diet. The cultivation of edible wild plants not only expands food alternatives in Mexico but also enriches culinary traditions with new flavors and colors, and improves population nutrition. To achieve this, it is necessary to diversify crops through the use and preservation of native wild plants with nutritional potential.