False banana: Is Ethiopia's enset 'wondercrop' for climate change?

By Helen.
Science correspondent.

The image is from RBG Kew.

There is an image caption.

The fruit of a banana.

The plant enset, a staple in Ethiopia, could be a lifesaver in the face of climate change.

According to a new study, the crop has the potential to feed more than 100 million people in a warming world.

In Ethiopia, the plant is used to make bread and porridge.

Research shows that the crop can be grown over a larger area in Africa.

"This is a crop that can play a really important role in addressing food security and sustainable development," said Dr Wendawek Abebe.

The false banana is only eaten in one part of Ethiopia.

The banana-like fruit of the plant is inedible, but the stems and roots can be used to make food.

The image is from RBG Kew.

There is an image caption.

The plant is a close relative of the banana.

In Ethiopia, where 20 million people rely on Enset for food, it has not been cultivated, but wild relatives grow as far south as South Africa, suggesting the plant can tolerate a much wider range.

Scientists predicted the potential range of enset using surveys and modelling. More than 100 million people could be fed if the crop is grown in Ethiopia and other African countries.

A researcher at the Royal Botanic Gardens said planting enset as a buffer crop for lean times could help boost food security.

He said that it's got some really unusual traits that make it unique. It's perennial and you can plant it at any time. That's why they call it the tree.

Ethiopia is a major centre of crop domestication in Africa, home to coffee and many other crops.

The image is from RBG Kew.

There is an image caption.

The Enset is 39 feet tall.

Climate change is predicted to affect yields and distribution of staple food crops across Africa and beyond.

Given our reliance on a few staple crops, there is growing interest in finding new plants to feed the world. Rice, wheat and maize make up half of the calories we eat.

All of our eggs are in a small basket at the moment and we need to change that.

There are plants.
It's agriculture
Climate change.
The environment.
Food.
Ethiopia.