'Indigenous vegetables' are vegetables species traditionally grown in specific areas by generations of farmers and propagated as land races. Recent emphasis on collection, conservation, evaluation and utilization of indigenous vegetables and legumes has endorsed the additive role they can play in achieving the food and nutrition security. These crops are being produced primarily without many inputs because of their adaptation and ability to withstand the attack of pests and diseases. The use of IVs by non-privileged populations further emphasizes the need for focusing on these crops. While sporadic efforts on improvement of these vegetables and legumes have been underway in various countries through isolated ways, no effort seems to have been made to draw the attention of the international communities and researchers to highlight their diversity, regions of availability, efforts on improvement, and uses to which they can be put.

AVRDC, IPGRI, ICRISAT and ISHS wish to bring attention to the potential of indigenous vegetables and legumes as a relatively untapped treasure to researchers and nutrition scientists worldwide through this conference.