New “Wonder Crop” Can Fight Hunger in a Warming World

“The tree against hunger”, “a banana on steroids”, “an insurance policy” – these are but a few of the terms used to describe the life-saving superfood you’ve probably never heard of: enset.

The plant – a close relative of the banana – can grow up to 10 metres and been domesticated in the Ethiopian Highlands, where people turn it into medicine, packaging, tools and food.

“People are saying this is a new wonder crop,” says James Borrell, scientist at London’s Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew in England which is studying the plant’s potential. “It’s amazingly resilient. It’s said to be very drought tolerant and we’re trying to test that.”

Borrell highlights that the plant grows in a wide range of conditions “from baking to foggy and freezing cold”, meaning it can be harvested anytime, making it a good back-up during unstable weather, pest infestations and seasonal gaps in other crops.