Bambara Groundnut: An Underutilized Leguminous Crop for Global Food Security and Nutrition

Abstract

Rapid population growth, climate change, intensive monoculture farming, and resource depletion are among the challenges that threaten the increasingly vulnerable global agri-food system. Heavy reliance on a few major crops is also linked to a monotonous diet, poor dietary habits, and micronutrient deficiencies, which are often associated with diet-related diseases. Diversification—of both agricultural production systems and diet—is a practical and sustainable approach to address these challenges and to improve global food and nutritional security. This strategy is aligned with the recommendations from the EAT-Lancet report, which highlighted the urgent need for increased consumption of plant-based foods to sustain population and planetary health. Bambara groundnut (Vigna subterranea (L.) Verdc.), an underutilized African legume, has the potential to contribute to improved food and nutrition security, while providing solutions for environmental sustainability and equity in food availability and affordability. This paper discusses the potential role of Bambara groundnut in diversifying agri-food systems and contributing to enhanced dietary and planetary sustainability, with emphasis on areas that span the value chain: from genetics, agroecology, nutrition, processing, and utilization, through to its socioeconomic potential. Bambara groundnut is a sustainable, low-cost source of complex carbohydrates, plant-based protein, unsaturated fatty acids, and essential minerals (magnesium, iron, zinc, and potassium), especially for those living in arid and semi-arid regions. As a legume, Bambara groundnut fixes atmospheric nitrogen to improve soil fertility. It is resilient to adverse environmental conditions and can yield on poor soil. Despite its impressive nutritional and agroecological profile, the potential of Bambara groundnut in improving the global food system is undermined by several factors, including resource limitation, knowledge gap, social stigma, and lack of policy incentives. Multiple research efforts to address these hurdles have led to a more promising outlook for Bambara groundnut; however, there is an urgent need to continue research to realize its full potential.

Bambara Groundnut (Vigna subterranea L. Verdc): A Crop for the New Millennium, Its Genetic Diversity, and Improvements to Mitigate Future Food and Nutritional Challenges

“…Dried Bambara seeds possess carbohydrates (64.4%), protein (23.6%), fat (6.5%), and fiber (5.5%) as well as are rich in micronutrients such as K (11.44-19.35 mg/100 g), Fe (4.9-48 mg/100 g), Na (2.9-12.0 mg/100 g), and Ca (95.8-99 mg/100 g), as reported by Paliwal et al [20] and Lin Tan et al [21]. It is underutilized in comparison to other major lucrative crops and is frequently grown on marginal land and in survival farming, and in the majority of cases, women are the primary contributors in the production and processing of these crops [21]. The Bambara groundnut on the other hand, is droughttolerant, has a healthynutritional composition, and can trap nitrogen from the atmosphere.…”

“…A brewed gel made from the slurry of Bambara beans is known as Okpa or Ukpa (by the northern cross river) or Moi-Moi (by the Igbos) in Nigeria [65]. Various forms of traditional or indigenous foods were listed by Lin Tan et al [21] using green young pods, harvested mature pods, and dried seeds of Bambara groundnut (Figure 7). Traditional/indigenous food product(s) in a given community are acquired and processed from bio-diverse plant sources available in their ecology.…”

“…Atoyebi et al [61] stated that, besides the nutritional significance of Bambara groundnut, it also has different physical and medicinal benefits; for example, the water from steamed seeds of Bambara groundnut is used to remedy diarrhea by Lio Kenya's tribe. Lin Tan et al [21] stated that the macro-nutrient, micro-nutrient, and anti-nutrient components possessed by Bambara groundnut are listed in Table 2. Nutraceuticals, a form of medication used to prevent high blood pressure and oxidative stress, may be derived from Bambara groundnut diets [74].…”

“…Most of the traditional pretreatment methods increase or decrease the nutritional quality of Bambara groundnut seeds. According to the discussion by Lin Tan et al [21], here, some of the approaches for Bambara groundnut processing are stated. Dehusking is a tedious operation among the post-harvest activities due to its very hard nature; for convenience, mechanical defusing is effective.…”

Assessment of genetic diversity and structure of Bambara groundnut [Vigna subterranea (L.) verdc.] landraces in South Africa

“…], an indigenous legume crop also known as a poor man’s crop, is cultivated at low levels across the African continent, especially Sub-Saharan Africa. This protein-rich (18–26%), drought tolerant, under-utilized legume species has several medicinal benefits and is rated as the third most produced and consumed crop after groundnuts and cowpea in semi-arid Africa 4 – 6 , with Nigeria as the largest producer in Africa 3 , 7 , 8 . In some African countries, like Zimbabwe, Bambara is preferred to maize, groundnuts and cowpea 9 .…”