Jackfruit: The Crop of the Future That Could Help Fight Hunger
Jackfruit could become a key food crop of the future. It grows well in heat, needs little water and resists pests, so it could help feed people where wheat and maize are failing because of climate change.
We already wrote about the health benefits of jackfruit in an earlier article. But this tropical fruit can do even more than we thought. Giant Jack could one day take the place of wheat, maize and other main crops that climate change puts at risk.
How can jackfruit help fight hunger?
A few years ago, the World Bank and the UN gave a warning. Rising heat and unpredictable rain are cutting wheat and maize harvests. Within a few decades, this could even lead to wars over food. So what can we do? Jackfruit can help solve this problem!
Even a small jackfruit weighs 5–7 kg. Its big brothers can weigh 40 kg, and that speaks for itself.
Why did India forget about jackfruit?
India is the home of jackfruit. Sadly, hunger is still a daily problem there. Yet until recently, the country paid little attention to this plant, and most of the fruit was sold abroad. Jackfruit has grown wild in India for hundreds of years, without anyone farming it.
Just 50 years ago, jackfruit was an important everyday food. Later, people began to look down on it as food for the poor.
Is that changing now?
Yes. In May 2014, Reddy University held a world conference about jackfruit. It said that the Indian government had started new projects to support the crop. One goal is to use more jackfruit as a canned vegetable and in processed foods.
Jackfruit is most popular in the south of India:
In Kerala, almost every garden has at least one jackfruit tree.
The true jackfruit paradise is Panruti in Tamil Nadu. There, the fruit grows on more than 10,000 hectares of land.
In Maharashtra, Karnataka, Kerala, Goa and the north-east, people hold old jackfruit festivals again.
People also remember an old saying again: “hasidu halasu tinnu, undu maavu tinnu”. It means: Eat jackfruit when you’re hungry, eat mango when you’re full.
Why is jackfruit easy to grow?
Jackfruit is not just a food for Europe and America. It can help feed people in the countries that need it most. And there will be enough for everyone.
Jackfruit resists pests, diseases and high heat, and it needs little watering. So it is easy to grow even in places hit hard by the climate crisis.
What parts of jackfruit can you use?
Jackfruit is very nutritious, and almost every part of the tree is useful:
Flesh: ten to twelve pieces of flesh are enough food for half a day.
Seeds: you can roast them like chestnuts, and they taste a lot like them. You can also toast them, dry them and grind them into flour.
Leaves: farmers feed them to cattle.
Roots: people use them as medicine.
Wood: it can be made into furniture.
Who is spreading the word?
Jackfruit’s good name doesn’t come from clever sales tricks. It comes from scientific research and from groups like Food Tank. Food Tank works to change the food system. It looks for ways to fight hunger, obesity and poverty that are good for nature, people and the economy.
Is there a downside?
Yes, one. Jackfruit grows much more slowly than cereals. Our miracle tree needs three to eight years before it gives fruit. The good news is that in warm places the seeds can be planted all year round. So we truly hope people will start planting more and more trees soon.
Sources:
GOLDENBERG, Suzanne. Jackfruit heralded as ‚miracle‘ food crop. The Guardian. Available at: https://www.theguardian.com/environment/2014/apr/23/jackfruit-miracle-crop-climate-change-food-security [accessed 7 Sep 2022]
LOBO, Joanna. Jackfruit: The King of India. Tenderly. Available at: https://tenderly.medium.com/jackfruit-india-eee207285d87 [accessed 7 Sep 2022]
SHREEVES, Robin. Why Jackfruit Might Save the World. Tree Hugger. Available at: https://www.treehugger.com/why-jackfruit-might-save-world-4868424 [accessed 7 Sep 2022]
Enjoy your meal!
Quick facts: jackfruit as a future crop
Why is jackfruit called a crop of the future?
It handles heat, pests and dry weather well. So it can grow where climate change hurts wheat and maize.
How long does a jackfruit tree take to fruit?
It takes three to eight years before the tree gives its first fruit.
Where does most jackfruit grow in India?
Mostly in the south. Panruti in Tamil Nadu grows jackfruit on more than 10,000 hectares.
Can you eat jackfruit seeds?
Yes. You can roast them like chestnuts or grind them into flour.