traditional crops
Ancestral cultivated plants
Traditional crops are plant species that have been cultivated in a region for generations, often predating modern agricultural methods.
These crops are typically well-adapted to local conditions and tied to cultural food practices: Farmers are returning to traditional crops like millet and sorghum.
The term often contrasts with cash crops or genetically modified varieties introduced through industrial agriculture.
- maizeCob-bearing cereal crop
- milletSmall-seeded food crop
- barleyGrain for malt
- sorghumWarm-climate cereal grass
- staple foodsEssential regular food sources
amaranth · beans · turmeric · taro · root vegetables · teff · cowpeas · pigeon peas · heritage seeds · landrace · emmer · breadfruit · rice · plantains · three sisters · cassava · ginger · quinoa
- crop diversitycultivars, landraces, heirloom varieties, ancient grains, heirloom seeds
- ethnobotanyayahuasca, peyote, coca, coca leaf, cannabis
- food politicsfood policy, food justice, food security, food insecurity, hunger
agricultural innovation and breeding
traditional cropsgenetically modified crops
Plants with altered DNA