Africa Manifesto and Plan of Action on Forgotten Foods

Abstract

The Africa Manifesto and Plan of Action on Forgotten Foods presents a continental framework for promoting the production, utilization, conservation, and commercialization of forgotten foods in Africa. The document argues that Africa's increasing food insecurity is linked to an overreliance on a limited number of staple crops and the gradual abandonment of traditional food systems. Forgotten foods are identified as valuable resources with significant nutritional, medicinal, economic, cultural, and environmental benefits that can contribute to food security, poverty reduction, climate resilience, and sustainable livelihoods.

The manifesto highlights the limited research, policy attention, extension support, and market development devoted to forgotten foods and calls for coordinated action among governments, research institutions, development partners, private sector actors, and farming communities. It proposes strategic interventions including awareness creation, research and innovation, participatory breeding, sustainable seed systems, conservation of genetic resources, market development, capacity strengthening, policy advocacy, curriculum integration, and resource mobilization.

The document serves as both a policy advocacy instrument and a strategic roadmap for integrating forgotten foods into Africa’s agricultural transformation agenda, while contributing to the achievement of food and nutrition security, climate adaptation, biodiversity conservation, and sustainable development goals.