【Article Information】

In February 2026, a research team led by Professor Shenggen Fan from the Academy of Global Food Economics and Policy (AGFEP) at China Agricultural University, together with Professor Wenfeng Cong from the College of Agricultural Green Development at China Agricultural University and researchers from Wageningen University & Research, published a paper titled “Potential for improving micronutrient supply and environmental sustainability by using underutilized crops in China” in the international journal Global Food Security.

Global Food Security is an SCIE-indexed journal with a latest impact factor of 9.6. It is a JCR Q1 journal and a leading international publication in the field of food security and sustainable food systems.

PhD candidate Li Yijun from Wageningen University, supervised with input from Professor Fan, is the first author. Co-authors include Professor Shenggen Fan (AGFEP), Johanna C. Gerdessen, Wopke van der Werf, Anneleen Kuijsten, Sander de Leeuw, Edith J.M. Feskens, and Tjeerd Jan Stomph from Wageningen University & Research, as well as Professor Wenfeng Cong from the College of Agricultural Green Development at China Agricultural University. The study was supported by the National Key R&D Program of China (2024YFE0105000, 2022YFD1900200), the China Scholarship Council, Hainan University, the National Natural Science Foundation of China (72061147002), and the National Social Science Fund of China (22&ZD085).

【Article Content】

Rice and wheat provide most of the calories in global diets. However, foods made from these grains are often consumed in refined forms, which are low in micronutrients and dietary fiber. Increasing the consumption of more nutrient-dense underutilized cereals and beans (UCBs), such as millet, sorghum, mung beans, as well as unrefined rice and whole wheat, can improve dietary quality. Compared with rice and wheat, UCBs are typically grown using lower-input methods and thus have a smaller environmental footprint, although their productivity is generally lower.

This study uses a multi-objective optimization approach to explore whether reallocating land among rice, wheat, and UCBs, combined with strategies to increase the supply of unrefined rice and whole wheat, can reduce water use and greenhouse gas emissions while improving the supply of dietary fiber and micronutrients (iron, thiamin, riboflavin, calcium, zinc) in China. The results show that this combined strategy could increase micronutrient and dietary fiber supply by 12–82%, reduce environmental impacts by 11–12%, and keep calorie supply near baseline levels (+3%). Achieving these outcomes would require reallocating 7.9 million hectares of rice area (26% of current total) and 1.7 million hectares of wheat area to sorghum (5.5 million hectares), millet (2.5 million hectares), beans (1.4 million hectares), and oats (0.2 million hectares). Supplementary analysis indicates that even reallocating just 5% of rice area to UCBs would still yield improvements, particularly for dietary fiber and iron supply (>27%). To realize the expansion of UCBs, challenges such as lower yields, insufficient economic incentives for farmers, and lower consumer acceptance compared to staple crops must be addressed. Therefore, the potential and solutions presented in this paper represent theoretical potential. The transformation pathways needed to realize this potential must consider broader dimensions and address the aforementioned challenges of yield, farmer incentives, and consumer acceptance. This interdisciplinary analysis quantifies the potential benefits of expanding UCB cultivation and increasing the supply of unrefined rice and whole wheat, providing insights for integrating UCBs into future food system transformation strategies.

【Abstract】

Rice and wheat provide the bulk of calories in diets globally. However, foods made from these cereals are commonly in refined forms and are low in micronutrients and dietary fiber. Increasing the consumption of more nutrient-dense, underutilized cereals and beans (UCBs), such as millet, sorghum, mung bean, along with unrefined rice and wheat, could improve diet quality. Compared with rice and wheat, UCBs are generally cultivated using less intensive methods, resulting in a lower environmental impact, though their productivity is generally lower. This study explores how reallocating rice and wheat areas to UCBs, either alone or combined with greater use of unrefined rice and wheat, could potentially enhance micronutrient supply (iron, thiamin, riboflavin, calcium, zinc), while reducing water use and greenhouse gas emissions in China. A strategy combining area reallocation and greater use of unrefined rice and wheat increased micronutrient supply and dietary fiber by 12–82%, reduced environmental impact by 11–12%, and slightly increased energy supply (3%). These outcomes were achieved by reallocating 7.9 million hectares (Mha) of rice area (26% of the current total) and 1.7 Mha of wheat area to sorghum (+5.5 Mha), millet (+2.5 Mha), beans (+1.4 Mha), and oats (+0.2 Mha). As a result, the supply of UCBs and unrefined rice and wheat products increased, supporting healthier diets. Reallocating only 5% of the rice area would still yield improvements, especially for dietary fiber and iron (27%). These findings offer insights for rethinking the value of UCBs and supporting their integration into future food system strategies.

【Article Link】

https://doi.org/10.1016/j.gfs.2026.100907