A systems-based situational analysis of Bambara groundnut production and adoption in South Africa

Neglected and underutilized species (NUS), also referred to as opportunity crops, such as Bambara groundnut ( Vigna subterranea (L.) Verdc.), should be promoted within food systems to enhance agro-biodiversity. These crops can contribute to climate change adaptation, food and nutrition security, and community sovereignty. However, their mainstreaming is constrained by several challenges, including inefficiencies in production, utilization and demand, seed systems, agronomy, genetics, ecophysiology, and marketing. A systems approach was used in this study to examine the major interactions among production, demand, processing, distribution, and retail, and to explore how these interactions influence overall food system outcomes through the lens of Bambara groundnut's current attributes. Drivers influencing the integration of Bambara groundnut into the South African food system were identified and categorized into social, environmental, economic, and technological dimensions. Causal Loop Diagrams (CLDs) were developed to examine the relationships among system variables and the feedback mechanisms that shape system behaviour. The analysis revealed that Bambara groundnut's position within the South African context is influenced by several interdependent factors related to society, government policy, stakeholder involvement, and environmental conditions, all of which interact to form a complex system. The CLDs highlighted reinforcing and balancing feedback loops that influence the production, utilization, and development potential of the crop. The findings suggest that a more integrated, circular-systems perspective can provide a useful conceptual framework for understanding and promoting Bambara groundnut within the South African food system. As a starting point for mainstreaming the crop, this approach helps identify synergies among multiple objectives and pathways for increased production and utilization, thereby supporting the crop's potential contribution to food and nutrition security, agro-biodiversity, and climate resilience.