Teff is a true marvel of nature, boasting a unique nutritional profile that sets it apart from conventional cereals. Rich in carbohydrates, unsaturated fatty acids, minerals, and phytochemicals, teff is a veritable "superfood" that can play a crucial role in addressing global challenges related to food security, nutrition, and health. Beyond its exceptional nutritional value, teff is also a testament to the resilience of nature. Adapted to thrive in the harsh environmental conditions of Ethiopia, teff exhibits remarkable tolerance to drought, waterlogging, and other abiotic stresses. This climate-smart property makes teff an invaluable asset in the face of the ever-increasing challenges posed by climate change. Yet, despite these remarkable attributes, teff's productivity remains alarmingly low, with an average yield of just 1.76 tons per hectare. This stark contrast between teff's potential and its current performance presents a pressing challenge that demands our collective attention.

Unlocking the barriers to Teff’s productivity: The reasons behind teff's low productivity are complex and multifaceted. Our review has identified several intrinsic and extrinsic factors that have hindered the crop's improvement efforts over the years. Intrinsically, teff faces a unique set of challenges, including its delicate floral biology, susceptibility to lodging, small seed size, and shattering. These inherent complexities have made conventional breeding approaches arduous and time-consuming, limiting the progress in developing high-yielding, climate-resilient teff varieties. Extrinsically, teff is also vulnerable to abiotic stresses such as drought, soil acidity, and waterlogging, which further exacerbate the challenges faced by smallholder farmers. The impact of climate change on teff production has become increasingly evident, underscoring the urgent need for innovative solutions.

A call to Action for Global Researchers: To unlock the full potential of teff and secure its place as a key player in the global food system, we call upon the global research community to join us in a concerted effort to address the existing challenges and capitalize on the opportunities presented by this remarkable crop. We invite you to explore the vast genetic diversity of teff, which holds the key to unlocking new avenues for improvement. By leveraging advanced breeding techniques, such as mutation breeding, TILLING, and gene editing, we can overcome the intrinsic barriers that have long hindered teff's productivity.

Moreover, the integration of omics technologies, including transcriptomics, proteomics, and metabolomics, can provide invaluable insights into the underlying mechanisms governing teff's growth, development, and stress responses. These cutting-edge tools can enable us to develop targeted interventions and tailor-made solutions for enhancing teff's resilience and productivity. Speed breeding and marker-assisted selection also hold immense promise in accelerating the breeding process and delivering climate-resilient, high-yielding teff varieties to smallholder farmers. By harnessing these advanced techniques, we can significantly reduce the time required to develop and deploy improved teff cultivars, thereby addressing the urgent need for food security and sustainable agriculture.

Fostering Global collaboration and Capacity building: To truly unlock the potential of teff, we must also invest in strengthening the research infrastructure and building the necessary capacity within the global research community. This includes enhancing access to comprehensive data on teff's genetic resources, improving the quality and completeness of the existing genome information, and fostering collaborative networks that transcend geographical boundaries. By working together, we can leverage the expertise and resources of researchers from diverse backgrounds, combining our knowledge and skills to tackle the complex challenges facing teff. This collaborative approach will not only accelerate the pace of innovation but also ensure that the benefits of our research reach the smallholder farmers and communities who rely on teff as a staple crop.

A future bright with Teff’s Potential: as we embark on this journey of teff's transformation, we are filled with a sense of optimism and determination. By addressing the existing barriers and capitalizing on the crop's remarkable attributes, we can unlock a future where teff becomes a global powerhouse – nourishing people, supporting livelihoods, and contributing to a more resilient and sustainable food system of the globe. We invite you, the esteemed members of the global research community, to join us in this endeavor. Together, let us unravel the untold story of teff and unleash its full potential, paving the way for a more food-secure, nutritious, and climate-resilient future, to ensure that the legacy of teff shines brightly for generations to come globally.