Therefore, I was a bit embarrassed when I received comments from the editor saying he was afraid that the terms "neglected crops" and "crops for the poor" would be understood negatively by Japanese farmers who produce these crops. Actually, until Japan achieved rice self-sufficiency in the middle of the 60s', secondary crops such as millet and barley were consumed as substitutes of rice and it cannot be denied there was a negative stigma attached to secondary crops as food for those who could not afford rice in those days.

In general, per capita direct consumption of secondary crops in Asia and the Pacific is decreasing as the economy develops, except for potato, which is often consumed as a vegetable. The basic strategy of secondary crop development is promoting their industrial uses, which are represented by food and feed processing, starch production from root crops or bio-fuel and biodegradable plastics.

Recently, direct consumption of minor cereals attracted attention from both producers and consumers in industrialized societies. The demand for minor cereals in Japan is growing very rapidly; the market size has increased to around ten billion JPY (100 million US dollars) per year. In November 2004, the Japan Minor Cereal Association was established. It consists of food producers, trading companies and researchers and aims to accelerate minor cereal production and consumption. One of their plans is the establishment of a certification system of "Minor Cereal Sommelier", that will be knowledgeable about cooking, nutritional value and other information regarding these crops (Yomiuri Shinbun, 2004).

Observing these trends, secondary crops, including minor cereals, are no longer “neglected” and recent enthusiasm in industrialized societies has remained us of the nutritional importance of secondary crops. Various nutritional facts support this idea. Most secondary crops are allergen free and contain substances with special effects that protect people from stress in daily life. Millet is rich in folic acid, which promotes red blood cell production, and soybean contains iso-flavone, which captures aggressive particles in the body which has an anti-cancerous effect. Most secondary crops excel in nutritional value compared to superior major cereals. Millet contains twice the energy, four times the protein, and nine times the fat of rice. Mungbean contains three times more iron than spinach and 100 grams of mungbean provides 5 per cent of the daily requirement of Vitamin-A equivalent, which is one of the most significant micronutrient deficiencies in developing regions, while milled rice contains almost no Vitamin-A (calculated by the author based on JST, 2004).

In spite of these facts, most local people don't recognize the nutritional value of secondary crops and national campaigns for public awareness are necessary (UNCAPSA). Golden rice (genetically modified Vitamin-A rich rice) might be helpful to some degree in combating the nutritional deficiency of the poor but only after abating people's suspicions surrounding GMO (Genetically Modified Organism). We need to remember that the natural nutritional value of secondary crops is far superior and poor people' access to them is much greater. An appropriate combination of major cereals and secondary crops can ensure an improved balanced diet. We need to better market opportunities to meet demand from developed countries. It is also time to exploit secondary crops not only for fatigued office workers in Tokyo but also for the improvement of nutritional conditions in developing regions.

Written by Tomohide Sugino, Project Leader, AGRIDIV Project, UNESCAP-CAPSA, Bogor, Indonesia.
(References available upon request)