The Orphan Crop That Could Save Lives

Nagaimo tastes like almost nothing. It gets gooey when you grate it.

But it’s one of those plants that could help keep whole communities fed.

That’s why agricultural researchers call it an orphan crop.¹

Orphan crops are species that get ignored by mainstream research even though they’re critical for local food security. Nagaimo (Dioscorea polystachya) has been cultivated in East Asia for centuries. It grows like a potato: underground tubers on climbing vines. But unlike potatoes, you can eat it raw.²

The reason is enzymes.