The African continent is rather poor in plant biodiversity when compared to other continents on the equator. Nevertheless, lots of useful plant species have been domesticated from sub-Saharan Africa material. Ethnobotanical research offers the possibility to collect information on use and utility of wild plant species from traditional people often living close to a challenging natural environment. This paper highlights a number of crops with African origins, and also pays attention to a number of useful species with domestication potential, which are currently under consideration for domestication and/or actual development. Specific attention is drawn to the methodology enabling the discovery of new candidates for crop and niche product development, with a specific emphasis on market chain analysis and promotion, and development aspects of the latter process. Bibliogr., sum. in English, French and Dutch. [Journal abstract, edited]
