Traditional and Underutilized Fruits and Vegetables for Attaining Zero Hunger

Himalayan fruits are one of the few untapped bioresources that require special attention to address several issues related to food insecurity, sustainable food production, and consumption. The Himalayas, comprising four out of the world’s 36 biodiversity hotspots, hold significant global importance and require a special focus on safeguarding and overseeing biodiversity. Because of their increased nutritive value and health advantages, the population in the Himalayan areas relies heavily on wild fruits. Studies done in a number of developing countries suggest that wild fruits may be important for food and nutritional security. Understanding diversity, distribution, availability, traditional use practices, nutraceutical, and nutritional properties, cultivation practices, demand, supply, and marketing, as well as conservation and management of high-value plant species, thus becomes vital for mainstreaming wild bioresources for sustainable development. Therefore, understanding the role of wild edible fruits and berries in ensuring food security and livelihood options in the Himalayan region is essential. It is crucial to have a comprehensive grasp of variety, distribution, accessibility, traditional usage practices, nutraceutical and nutritional characteristics, cultivation techniques, need, supply, promotion, conservation, and governance of valuable plant species. This knowledge is essential for integrating wild bioresources into sustainable development initiatives. Consequently, it becomes imperative to comprehend the significance of wild edible fruits and berries in safeguarding food security and livelihood options in the Himalayan region. The marketing and product development of these fruits using modern technologies will both contribute to the socioeconomic development of rural inhabitants in the Himalayas. The availability, preservation, and commercialization of these underused fruits must be taken advantage of for economic gain and to make local residents’ way of life better. The local expertise also aided in the formation of academic, public, and commercial partnerships for these species’ scientific and application research as well as the creation of pertinent low-cost technologies, which helped in the commercialization of these fruits for food and small-scale enterprises. As a result, the present chapter covers the issues and difficulties in the cultivation of Himalayan fruits that have been discussed below.