Underutilized Vegetable Crops for Sustainable Food and Nutritional Security in Sri Lanka

Abstract

Sri Lanka has experienced substantial food insecurity driven by multiple factors, including the economic crisis and persistent nutritional challenges. Restrictions and disruptions of the food chain lead to a shortage of essential food commodities, which adversely affect livelihoods and increase vulnerability to acute malnutrition, including micronutrient deficiencies and a higher prevalence of underweight conditions among children and older adults. Moreover, underutilized vegetables also align with several Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), particularly SDG 2 (Zero Hunger), SDG 3 (Good Health and Well-being), SDG 12 (Responsible Consumption and Production), and SDG 13 (Climate Action), by supporting nutritional security, sustainable agriculture, and resilience to climate-related stresses. Since underutilized vegetable crops are more sustainable and diverse, with high nutritional value, comprising essential nutrients, the review highlights the need to strengthen national agricultural and nutrition policies by integrating underutilized vegetable crops and summarizes their morphological and genetic traits. The review further discusses key knowledge gaps and outlines future research directions for building a resilient food system in Sri Lanka by using these underutilized vegetables.