Khon Kaen, Thailand, 31 May 2012 -- Indigenous foods, neglected and derided by many in the agro- and food industries as well as urban consumers, can be an important component in alleviating hunger, malnutrition and protecting the environment, the regional representative for the Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO) of the United Nations told a symposium today. A century of globalization has reduced the number of plant species used for food and other purposes from roughly 100 000 to about 30. With the global population expected to reach 9 billion by 2050, FAO is concerned that the [more...]