Roots of Change: How Niger's schoolchildren are rediscovering forgotten foods

From February to May 2025, 68 students aged 9 to 12 were part of something truly transformative: a hands-on educational journey into the world of neglected and underutilized species (NUS). Supported by the Alliance as part of the EU-funded SUSTLIVES project and guided by a dynamic team from the NGO Forge Arts trained by Association Watinoma, these children became gardeners, researchers, artists—and, most of all, agents of change.

The journey began with a simple question: Why are some local plants forgotten? That spark of curiosity ignited a months-long learning experience where students discovered the nutritional, agricultural, and cultural value of five key NUS—amaranth, sweet potato, Bambara groundnut, roselle and moringa.

In a blend of theory and practice and using the training module on NUS developed by the Alliance in collaboration with Association Watinoma, the students learned to prepare soil, plant seeds, and care for crops in their school garden. “It was so exciting to see their hands in the soil, their notebooks full of questions,” shared one of the teachers.