Potential of breadfruit cultivation to contribute to climate-resilient low latitude food systems

The number of people in food crisis around the world is increasing, exacerbated by COVID-19, conflict, and climate change. Major crop yields are projected to decrease low-latitude regions, making tropical sub-tropical systems particularly vulnerable. Increased cultivation breadfruit ( Artocarpus altilis ), a neglected underutilized species (NUS), has potential enhance resilience overall sustainability agricultural systems. To better understand breadfruit’s suitability geographic range current future climates, we use presence data collected from previous studies global citizen science database, selection bioclimactic variables, build an ensemble 6 distribution models that delineate climatically viable range. We then assess (2061–2080) under stabilization high emission scenarios using 8 circulation model (GCM) projections. area suitable within tropics subtropics ~4.4% scenario ~4.5% scenario. In Southeast Asia Pacific Islands, yield quality consistency show minimal decreases scenario, with increases total both. contrast, Latin America Caribbean, contract ~10.1–11.5% (stabilization-high emission). Present outputs suggest opportunities successfully expand over next decades sub-Saharan Africa, where insecurity coincidentally high. However, all conditions reduce compared Our results have inform security adaptation planning, highlighting as ideal NUS incorporate strategies.