Out of the known 30,000 edible plant species, just 30, including maize, rice and wheat make up 95 per cent of all the food humans eat (Csmonitor.com; accessed January 9, 2014). The quest to produce more food to feed the world pays less attention to nutritional benefits offered by food variety. Malnutrition increases prospects of contracting diseases, stunted growth among children and has accounted for an estimated 3.5 million deaths of under five a year olds (Avrdc.org; accessed January 9, 2014).

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