A Map Of Where Your Food Originated May Surprise You

New Mexico Public Radio

The Salt

FOOD FOR THOUGHT

13 June 2016

Jeremy Cherfas

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The Fertile Crescent, with its profusion of wild grasses related to wheat and barley, is the primary center of diversity for those cereals. Thai chilies come originally from Central America and tropical South America, while Italian tomatoes come from the Andes.
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Regions far from centers of agricultural biodiversity — such as North America, northern Europe and Australia — are most dependent on foreign crops. By the same token, countries in regions of diversity that are still growing and eating their traditional staples — for example, South Asia and West Africa — were least dependent on foreign crops. But even countries like Bangladesh and Niger depend on foreign crops for one-fifth of the food they eat and grow. Tomatoes, chilies and onions (from West and Central Asia), for example, are important in both countries.
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Global interdependence also extends to the future of crops — for example, to combat the threats of climate change and new pests and diseases. The genes needed to face those challenges are most likely to be found in the primary regions of diversity, but will be needed wherever those crops are grown.
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I knew it was a complex picture and that a lot of things emphasized in various countries did not originate there.
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I didn't realize just how complex a picture it is.
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I don't think this is necessarily life changing information but it is, to me, interesting.
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I think it is an important point that changes in climate and other disease factors influencing plants may well require more robust DNA factors from places of origin.
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It is troubling that even with a plant/seed access treaty to diverse samples, the political will is hindering needful collaboration. That could be a problem, if it is not overcome.
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I unnerstand science types are still finding wild wheat and other foods to add to the gene pool.

no one has ever found wild corn (Maize) though!

I read somewhere, it has been close to a thousand years (or more?) since human beans discovered a major new food plant.

a reply to: ElGoobero

What's a "human bean"??

Do you mean Mister Bean? Or the green Hulk?

Or a mix of the two?

a reply to: ElGoobero

Interesting.

Thanks.

I didn't realize there were no wild corn/maize plants found any longer.