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Native crops can be expected to fit the ecology of the region, and be able to grow in the climate and soil of the region. They can also play an important role in reducing the distance food needs to travel.[1] However, native crops may not always be as productive as the more popular domesticated counterparts or attain equally high prices. The latter is often a result of being not well known (and thus disliked) by the population (at least at first).

Native crops should always be considered in agriculture as they are generally hardier and thus safer crops in terms of providing food (especially today, with global warming affecting the precipitation pattern). They are however not the most appropriate choice in some situations. Especially where unwanted propagation, and contact to the outside environment can be reduced/eliminated (ie use in greenhouses, sterile crops, ...) non-indigenous crops may be a suitable option.

Types of Native Crops by Region

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Type of crops indicated in this article

Primary crops: divided in primary crops carbohydrates and primary crops protein.
Secondary crops: These are generally herbs, spices (most widely used kitchen herbs/spices) or crops for making beverages
Supplementary (or tertiary) crops: These crops are generally sweet crops or sweeteners

Not indicated crops

Fruits or "quartary crops" are not indicated on this page. Quintary crops or vegetables are also not indicated. Separate maps of both can be found via the links below.

Native Crops by Region

Region Importance Use Crops
East Asia Primary Protein soybean,[2] wild Azuki bean,[3][4] wild rice bean[5]
Carbohydrate rice, foxtail millet[6][7]
Secondary tea bush[8]
Supplementary monk fruit[9][10]
Oceania Primary Carbohydrate yam,[11] swamp taro[12]
Secondary great morinda,[13] common nutmeg[14]
Supplementary sugarcane,[15] Arenga palm,[16] Asian Palmyra Palm,[17] Nypa fruticans,[18] True Sago Palm (for palm sugar production),[19] New Guinea Palmyra Palm[20][21]
coconut[22]
Central Asia Primary Protein Moringa oleifera,[23] broad bean[24][25]Moth bean,[26][27] Horse Gram[28][29]Guar bean,[30][31]wild Mung bean,[32] Wild pigeon pea,[33] Black gram[34]wild Velvet bean[35][36]
Carbohydrate taro[37]
Secondary black pepper,[38] Hibiscus sabdariffa,[39] lemon grass,[40] Ceylon cinnamon,[41] basil[42]
Supplementary Indian date palm (for palm sugar production),[43] Caryota urens[44]
West Asia and South Europe Primary Protein oat,[45][46] wild pea,[47] wild chickpea,[48] lentil[49]
Carbohydrate wheat, rye,[50][51] wild parsnip[52]
Secondary rosemary,[53] spear mint,[54] dill,[55] coriander,[56] saffron,[57] anise,[58] black and white mustard[59]
Supplementary Date palm (Phoenix dactylifera)[60][61]
North Africa and South Africa Primary Protein wild cow pea[62][63]
Carbohydrate pearl millet, barley[64][65]
Secondary Kola nut[66]
Supplementary African Palmyra Palm,[67] Ake Assi's Palmyra Palm[68][69]
Borassus madagascariensis[70][71]
Central Africa Primary Protein Wild hyacinth bean,[72] White Wild Musk Mallow,[73][74][75] Psophocarpus grandiflorus R. Wilczek[76][77]
Carbohydrate Sorghum bicolor, teff[78][79]
Secondary coffee plant (coffea arabica, coffea robusta)[80]
North Europe, North Asia, and North America Primary Protein Amaranthus hypochondriacus,[81][82][83] American groundnut,[84] wild tepary bean,[85][86] slimjim bean[87]
Flatpod peavine[88]
Carbohydrate Northern wild rice,[89] Wild rice,[90] Texas wild rice,[91] Jerusalem artichoke[92][93]
buckwheat,[94][95] Manchurian wild rice[96]
Secondary sassafras albidum,[97] Ephedra[98]
rosa canina,[99] small-leaved linden,[100] valerian,[101] chamomile,[102] garlic/Allium longicuspis[103]
Supplementary birch (Betula papyrifera var. humilis and Betula neoalaskana),[104] sugar maple[105]
honey (from Apis mellifera mellifera),[106][107][108] sweet cicely root,[109]licorice[110]
Central America Primary Protein Amaranthus cruentus,[111][112][113][114]wild runner bean[115][116]
Carbohydrate maize[117]
Secondary vanilla[118]
Supplementary sugar pine,[119] Agave salmiana, Agave tequilana[120]
South America (north) Primary Protein quinoa,[121][122][123] Amaranthus caudatus,[124][125][126][127] lima bean,[128][129] peanut, Lupinus piurensis[130][131][132]
Carbohydate potato[133]
Secondary Capsicum annuum,[134] guarana[135]
Supplementary Stevia Rebaudiana Bertoni and other species,[136][137] yacón syrup[138]
South America (central) Primary Carbohydrate cassava[139]
South America (south) Primary Carbohydrate sweet potato[140][141]
Secondary yerba maté[142]

References

  1. ↑ Ie the farming of native crops/animals can be regulated nationally (so it can be made illegally to cultivate anything that is not native) and worldwide transport will no longer be economically feasible at all (as import/export of most crops depends on availability of several regions rather than just one region. having only one region from which crop can come will clog shipping/aircraft transport routes and/or the routes may not be economically attractive at all). This results in having the crop/animal not transported at all, and the consumer being force to choose another crop/animal. This will be, in most cases, a crop/animal that is grown on a better route, often closer to home.
  2. ↑ Soybean's origin=Korea
  3. ↑ Vigna angularis var. nipponensis ancestor to Azuki bean
  4. ↑ Wild azuki bean native to Japan
  5. ↑ Vigna umbellata var.gracilis native to Southern China, near Vietnam
  6. ↑ Rice's origin= China, 3 locations along Yangtsekiang
  7. ↑ Foxtail millet origin=China (though somewhat more north than indicated)
  8. ↑ Tea bush (var. sinensis) native to western Yunnan, while C. sinensis var. assamica is native to the warmer parts of Assam (India)
  9. ↑ Monk fruit native to china, near taiwan
  10. ↑ Luo han guo
  11. ↑ Yam's origin=Indonesia
  12. ↑ Swamp taro origin=melanesia
  13. ↑ Great morinda native to Southeast Asia (Indonesia) and Australia
  14. ↑ Common nutmeg native to the Banda Islands of Indonesia
  15. ↑ Sugarcane encompassing 37 species, indigenous to tropical South Asia and Southeast Asia. Different species likely originated in different locations, with S. barberi originating in India and S. edule and S. officinarum coming from New Guinea
  16. ↑ Arenga pinnata palm native to tropical Asia, from eastern India east to Malaysia, Indonesia, and the Philippines in the east.
  17. ↑ Borassus flabellifer native along the entire northern shores of the Indian Ocean, from the mouth of the Tigris to New Guinea, yet more dominant in region between Indonesia and Pakistan
  18. ↑ Nypa fruticans native within the Indomalaya ecozone -in southern Asia, Indochina, the Malesian region, and northern Australia-
  19. ↑ Metroxylon sagu native to western New Guinea
  20. ↑ Borassus heineanus native to New Guinea
  21. ↑ Borassus heineanus used probably as a same way as Borassus akeasi, so not for palm sugar
  22. ↑ Cocunut's origin: somewhere between northwest-South america and Melanesia
  23. ↑ Moringa oleifera native to northwestern India
  24. ↑ http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Vicia_faba Vicia faba has been cultivated since 6000 BC, unknown ancestor
  25. ↑ Vicia faba native to Afghanistan
  26. ↑ Phaseolus aconitifolius native to East India
  27. ↑ Moth bean can be consumed by humans
  28. ↑ Macrotyloma uniflorum native to India
  29. ↑ Horse Gram being high in protein content, can be consumed as seed or meal for humans
  30. ↑ Cyamopsis tetragonoloba native to northwest India
  31. ↑ http://www.hort.purdue.edu/newcrop/afcm/guar.html Guar bean rich in protein
  32. ↑ Vigna radiata var.sublobata native to India
  33. ↑ Cajanus cajan native to north-east India
  34. ↑ Vigna mungo var.silvestris native to India
  35. ↑ Mucuna pruriens having no ancestors
  36. ↑ Mucuna pruriens native to Southern China, near East India
  37. ↑ Taro origin=between India & Bangladesh
  38. ↑ Black pepper native to Western Ghats of Kerala State, India
  39. ↑ Hibiscus sabdariffa native to tropical Asia, from India to Malaysia
  40. ↑ Lemon grass species native to Southern India, Sri Lanka
  41. ↑ Ceylon cinnamon native to Sri Lanka
  42. ↑ Basil native to northeast India
  43. ↑ Indian date palm native to southern Pakistan, most of India, Sri Lanka and Bangladesh
  44. ↑ Caryota urens native to Sri Lanka, Singapore, Myanmar, and India
  45. ↑ Oat origin=Fertile Crescent, Near East
  46. ↑ Oat having high comparitive protein content, thus usable as PC_P crop
  47. ↑ Pisum sativum elatius native to Bulgaria - Mediterranean basin, Near East. Earliest archaeological finds of peas come from Neolithic Syria, Turkey and Jordan.
  48. ↑ Cicer reticulatum native to southeastern Turkey and Syria
  49. ↑ Lentils native to eastern Turkey, north Syria
  50. ↑ Wheat origin=Fertile Crescent, Near East
  51. ↑ Rye origin=Fertile Crescent, Near East
  52. ↑ Pastinaca sativa sylvestris native to Eurasia, primarily east Europe (Ukraine, Azerbaijan)
  53. ↑ Rosemary native to the Mediterranean area
  54. ↑ Mentha cordifolia native to much of Europe and southwest Asia
  55. ↑ Dill native to southern Russia/East Europe
  56. ↑ Coriander native to southwestern Asia west to north Africa
  57. ↑ Saffron native to Southwest Asia, near Greece
  58. ↑ Anise native to the eastern Mediterranean region and Southwest Asia
  59. ↑ Black mustard native to southern Mediterranean region, white mustard (sinapis alba) native to the Mediterranean region and the Crimea
  60. ↑ Date palm native to Persian Gulf, near Syria
  61. ↑ Note that other data palms too exist, see http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Phoenix_(plant) yet not all are used for human consumption
  62. ↑ Vigna unguiculata subsp. unguiculata var spontanea ancestor of cow pea
  63. ↑ Wild cow pea native to West Africa, native to savanna
  64. ↑ Pearl millet origin=West Africa, near the Sahel strip
  65. ↑ Barley origin=Egypt
  66. ↑ Kola nut native to the tropical forests of West Africa
  67. ↑ Borassus aethiopum native to Sudan and the whole northern Sahelian border, in particular in the east an in savannah vegetation
  68. ↑ Borassus akeassii native to West Africa, ie Burkina Faso
  69. ↑ Borassus akeassii mainly used for preparing drinks, not for palm sugar
  70. ↑ Borassus madagascariensis native to Madagascar
  71. ↑ Sambirano Palmyra Palm also exists in Madagascar yet has no particular use, ref:Plant Resources of Tropical Africa: Vegetables by G. J. H. Grubben
  72. ↑ Lablab purpureus subsp. uncinatus native to East Africa
  73. ↑ Abelmoschus ficulneus ancestor of Abelmoschus esculentus
  74. ↑ Abelmoschus ficulneus native to Ethiopia
  75. ↑ Abelmoschus ficulneus bearing edible fruit
  76. ↑ Psophocarpus grandiflorus ancestor to Psophocarpus tetragonolobus
  77. ↑ Psophocarpus grandiflorus native to east Africa (area between Ethiopia and Uganda)
  78. ↑ Origin sorghum bicolor= between Ehiopia & Sudan (also named Sudanese grass)
  79. ↑ Teff origin=Ethiopia
  80. ↑ Coffee native to Ethiopia
  81. ↑ Compararing protein crops
  82. ↑ Amaranth high in nutrients, useful as PC_P crop
  83. ↑ Amaranthus hypochondricus origin=North America
  84. ↑ Apios americana native to eastern southern, central North America
  85. ↑ [http://web.archive.org/web/20130118083500/http://www.seedsofchange.com/enewsletter/issue_56/tepary_beans.aspx Phaseolus acutifolius A. Gray native to Sonoran desert
  86. ↑ No ancestors of tepary bean
  87. ↑ Phaeseolus filiformis native to Sonoran desert
  88. ↑ Lathyrus cicera native to south-east Europe, ancestor of Lathyrus sativa
  89. ↑ Zizania palustris native to Great lakes region, USA
  90. ↑ Zizania aquatica native to Saint Lawrence River, USA
  91. ↑ Zizania texana native to San Marcos River in central Texas, USA
  92. ↑ Helianthus tuberosus native to eastern Canada and northeastern USA
  93. ↑ Helianthus tuberosus as ancestor of sunflower
  94. ↑ Buckwheat origin=northern hemisphere
  95. ↑ http://www.cliffordawright.com/caw/food/entries/display.php/topic_id/9/id/122/ Buckwheat origin=between Lac Baikal & Manchuria]
  96. ↑ Zizania latifolia native to Manchuria, China
  97. ↑ Sassafras albidum native to eastern North America, from southern Maine and southern Ontario west to Iowa, and south to central Florida and eastern Texas
  98. ↑ Ephedra funerea, Ephedra viridis and Ephedra nevadensis native to Nevada, California
  99. ↑ Rosa canina native to Europe, including Britain, northwest Africa and western Asia
  100. ↑ small-leaved linden native to much of Europe and western Asia
  101. ↑ Valerian native to Europe and parts of Asia
  102. ↑ chamomile native to Europe and Western Asia
  103. ↑ Allium longicuspis native to central and southwestern Asia
  104. ↑ Betula papyrifera var. humilis and Betula neoalaskana native to Alaska, northern Canada
  105. ↑ Sugar maple (used to make maple syrup) native to the hardwood forests of northeastern North America, from Nova Scotia west to southern Ontario, and south to Georgia and Texas.
  106. ↑ Apis florea and Apis andreniformis native to South and South East Asia (including the Philippines)
  107. ↑ Apis mellifera mellifera native to East-Europe
  108. ↑ Apis mellifera having 14 subspecies, see http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Honeybee and http://www.imkerpedia.nl/wiki/index.php/Ondersoorten_van_de_Apis_mellifera
  109. ↑ Sweet cicely native to Europe
  110. ↑ Licorice native to southeastern Europe, near Romania/Bulgaria
  111. ↑ Compararing protein crops
  112. ↑ Amaranth high in nutrients, useful as PC_P crop
  113. ↑ Amaranthus cruentus origin=Central America
  114. ↑ Amaranthus cruentus origin=Central America
  115. ↑ Phaseolus formosus Kunth. ancestor of Phaseolus coccineus
  116. ↑ Phaseolus formosus Kunth. native to region between north Mexico and Panama
  117. ↑ Maize's origin=Mexico
  118. ↑ Vanilla native to Mexico
  119. ↑ Sugar pine native to the mountains of the Pacific coast of North America, from Oregon through California to Baja California
  120. ↑ Agave salmiana and Agave tequilana native to central Mexico
  121. ↑ Quinoa indigenous to Peru, protein content=14g/100g serving
  122. ↑ Quinoa origin=around Lake Titicaca
  123. ↑ Quinoa having high comparitive protein content, hence useful as PC_P_ crop
  124. ↑ Comparing protein crops
  125. ↑ Amaranth high in nutrients, useful as PC_P crop
  126. ↑ Amaranthus caudatus origin=Peru
  127. ↑ Amaranthus causates origin=south America
  128. ↑ Phaseolus lunatus origin=Andes
  129. ↑ Phaseolus lunatus var. silvester Baudet ancestor of Lima bean
  130. ↑ [www.systbot.uzh.ch/static/personen/colin_hughes_assets/Lupinus.pdf Lupinus piurensis ancestor of Lupinus mutabilis]
  131. ↑ Lupinus piurensis native to the western slopes of the Andes, Peru
  132. ↑ Lupinus piurensis bearing edible plant parts, after treatment
  133. ↑ Potato origin=Peru
  134. ↑ Capsicum species having a common ancestor which originated somewhere in the northwest Brazil - Colombia area
  135. ↑ Guarana native to the Amazon, in the region of Manaus and Parintins
  136. ↑ Stevia encompassing 240 species, native to subtropical and tropical regions from western North America to South America
  137. ↑ Stevia Rebaudiana Bertoni is native to Paraguay
  138. ↑ Yacón native to lower Andes/Peru
  139. ↑ Cassava origin= west-central Brazil
  140. ↑ Sweet potato origin=South America
  141. ↑ Cassava's origin
  142. ↑ Yerba maté native to subtropical South America in northeastern Argentina, Bolivia, southern Brazil, Uruguay and Paraguay

Note

Kombucha not mentioned as it can be made anywhere without danger of introducing a exotic species to the area (uses a bacteria or yeast)

Further information

  1. ↑ http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2009/08/090804071358.htm Perennial grain crops advocated by The Land Institute]
  2. ↑ KATHO in Roeselaere, Belgium makes pastes and energy bars from this for human consumption

See also

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Created September 21, 2010 by KVDP
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Cite as KVDP, Tr3ndyBEAR, Chriswaterguy (2010–2025). "Native crops by region". Appropedia. Retrieved October 3, 2026.
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