What are 'orphan crops'? And why is there a new campaign to get them adopted?

"Orphan crops" refers to plantings that have fallen out of favor but could offer advantages over staples like wheat and grain in a changing climate. Above: Lablab purpureus, also known as Indian bean and Egyptian kidney bean, is native to sub-Saharan Africa and India. It's a warm-season annual or short-lived perennial with a thick stem that grows up to 3 feet and vines that can reach 25 feet long. (Soumyabrata Roy/NurPhoto/Getty Images)

Cary Fowler was enjoying a comfortable retirement at his country home in New York. The food activist, who's in his 70s, already has shelves full of prestigious awards honoring his efforts to preserve the seeds of endangered crop varieties around the globe.

But something gnawed at him. A job left undone. "There was one big project I hadn't had a chance to tackle," he says.