Indigenous Food Plants (IFPs) for Increased Food Sufficiency in Ilocos Norte, Philippines

Many plant genetic resources (PGR) are disappearing at an alarming rate as a result of man-made activities and natural phenomena. Even more unfortunate is that a number of plants remain unknown and are likely to be lost before they are identified. This genetic erosion is expected to aggravate due to the adverse effects of climate change.

Thus, there is a need to safeguard the remaining PGR to conserve biodiversity for the next generations -- increased diversity means greater chances of meeting and sustaining future needs. At the same time, their potentials should be fully explored to optimize their utilization especially in broadening the food base to feed the growing population. Hence, PGR research, particularly on indigenous and wild edible plants as a means of community health enhancement, income provision, and biodiversity conservation, now receives global attention.