Mini-ministers, big impact: empowering children to defend forgotten foods

In a sunny schoolyard in Niamey, Niger, a group of primary school children stands proudly before an audience. But, they’re not just presenting what they learned in class — they’re introducing their Student Government formed to promote and protect neglected and underutilized species (NUS) – aka forgotten foods for better nutrition – in their community.

This creative approach, developed by the Niamey-based NGO Forge Arts, complements the learning journey described in the teacher’s training manual to promote children’s appreciation of NUS, developed by the Alliance of Bioversity International and CIAT in collaboration with Association Watinoma as part of the EU-funded SUSTLIVES project, adding a playful yet powerful participatory layer to agrobiodiversity education in schools.