Abe Shegro Gerrano

1 Introduction Cancer comprises a diverse group of complex diseases characterized by the unregulated proliferation and division of abnormal cells within the body [1]. It remains a precarious international health concern and ranks among the leading causes of mortality worldwide. According to the International Agency for Research on Cancer, there were an estimated 20 million new cases reported in 2022 [2], with projections estimating around 35 million cases by 2050.

Addressing nutrition and climate resilience together requires transdisciplinary participatory action research with clear impact pathways for systems change that starts from the ground up. The concept of ‘crops that nourish’ is proposed here to offer a new mode of pursuing agricultural development. It involves iterative co-creation between farmers and researchers that prioritizes local needs and agency, human health, resilience and sustainability through a focus on opportunity crops.

1. Introduction Okra (Abelmoschus esculentus [L.] Moench), belonging to the Malvaceae family, is an important crop mainly cultivated as fruits, vegetables and seed oil. It is extensively grown in tropic and subtropic regions [1] and arid and semi-arid regions with limited and erratic rainfall conditions [2]. The tender and immature pods of okra are consumed as cooked vegetables [3].