ISSN 2360-7971
Abstract
In many countries around the world, food security and nutrition are major concerns. Wild yams (Dioscorea spp.) are an economically and nutritionally valuable crop for over 300 million people all over the world. There are diversities in the gene pool of wild yams. Utilising the diversity found in the wild yam gene pool has become necessary in order to address food and nutritional security. Wild yams (Dioscorea spp.) are crops that occupy a remarkable position toward achieving nutrition and food security due to their high yield, caloric value, superior carbohydrate content, and good source of essential dietary supplements such as protein and many dietary minerals. Yam provides food for millions of people in the world, especially in the tropics and subtropics. Yam is known as a famine food and is a staple in the diets of small, marginal rural families and communities during the food scarcity periods. Dioscorea tubers have a nutritional advantage over other root crops. This review highlights the diversity in wild yams and their potential for nutrition and food security.
Keywords: Wild Yam, Dioscorea, nutrition, food security