Over recent decades there has been a heightened interest in various crops especially important to Africa such as legumes (cowpeas, pigeon pea, beans, and groundnut); roots and tubers (cassava, yams, potatoes); banana and teff. There has, however, been insufficient investment to identify their potentials and constraints (NRC, 1996). In addition to technical options, the limited international trade in these products may encourage regional markets to flourish, with little interference from international markets to suppress prices. Some crops have received virtually no sustained research. Elementary studies on teff, for example, have already shown enormous potential and await development. Box 4.5 describes the potential contribution of Africa's own rich biodiversity to the welfare of its people.

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