Planning for Food Security Using Roots and Tubers as Functional Foods in Nigeria: A Review

This study focuses on food security planning in Nigeria using roots and tubers as functional foods, as the global food crisis poses a severe threat to world peace and security. An important agronomic advantage of root and tuber crops as staple foods is their ability to adapt to diverse soil and environmental conditions and they can all be propagated by vegetative propagation process. This review is necessary because the potential utility of these roots and tubers is being investigated. Roots and tubers are key components of the human diet, and they are widely farmed and consumed in Nigeria as staple foods. Cassava (Manihot esculentus Crantz), yam (Dioscorea spp), sweet potato (Ipomoea batatas Poir), potato (Solanum spp), and edible aroids (Colocasia spp and Xanthosoma sagittifolium Schott) are the most important roots and tubers in Nigeria. These crops have a lot of potential since they have a lot of biodiversity and add variety to the human diet. They also have numerous medicinal properties. The plants considered in this paper are cassava (Manihot esculentus Crantz), yam (Dioscorea rotundata Poir, D. bulbifera L., D. Cayenensis Lam, D. alata Linn, D. Dumentorium Pax and D. esculenta (Lour.) Burk) sweet potato (Ipomoea batatas Poir), potato (Solanum tuberosome Linn) and edible aroids (Colocasia esculenta (L) Schott and Xanthosoma sagittifolium Schott). Due to population increase, urbanisation, and changing food tastes, these plants that provide several advantages to humans are under jeopardy. They haven't been used to their full nutritional and health potential. It is discovered that these plants are of high nutritional values and are also used traditionally for various medicinal benefits. These beneficial plants should be given more attention in terms of production, preservation, and consumption, since this will help Nigerians improve their food security.