Sustainable Cultivation Practices, Nutritional Optimization, and Food Processing Innovations for Bambara Groundnut in the Sub-Saharan and Namibian Context

Bambara groundnut (Vigna subterranea (L.) Verdc), an indigenous legume crop in sub-Saharan Africa, is a crucial source of protein. It is known for its ability to form symbiotic relationships with Rhizobia strains that fixes atmospheric nitrogen through the Biological Nitrogen Fixation (BNF) process. In Namibia, it ranks as the second most important legume after cowpea and is grown in the northern communal regions of the country where it is also consumed. The crop’s nutritional value beats that of many staple foods, providing comprehensive protein in addition to a significant amount of crucial nutrients, such as magnesium and iron, which help fight the major crisis of malnutrition in Africa. Despite its nutritional value, it has been neglected in scientific research and agricultural development programs. The crop faces challenges such as biotic and abiotic stresses, socio-economic constraints, and low yields. Its integration into sustainable food systems is urgently needed, given the challenges of climate change, food insecurity, and nutritional deficiencies. Improving Bambara groundnut requires identifying and selecting genotypes with desirable traits such as early maturity, drought tolerance, larger seed size, and higher yield. Significant genotypic and phenotypic variability exists within landrace populations. This chapter aims to examine sustainable cultivation practices, nutritional optimization, and food processing innovations in Namibia and elsewhere in the world. It emphasizes the need for improved agronomic practices, conservation agriculture, and breeding activities. The review also examines methods to broaden genetic diversity, utilize genomic resources, and employ high-throughput phenotyping to enhance the utilization of genetic resources in pre-breeding programs.