Being recognized by Forbes and featuring our millet advocacy and innovation was a highlight we celebrated. We are encouraged to keep the mission alive and go the full distance.
full article here:
African Indigenous Crops Fuel A Growing Food Business Boom
In Lagos, Nigeria, where the hum of the city mingles with the aroma of freshly baked bread, Chef Juliet Aigbe, known affectionally as “Chef Juls,” slides a grain-free wedding cake into a large commercial oven.
Her award-winning bakery, Cakeflair, is more than just a place where wholesome baked goods are crafted; it’s the site of a movement that draws from the soil of her childhood and envisions a transformative future for Africa— rooted in the flavors of home.
Aigbe is part of a rising movement of African food entrepreneurs leading the revival of the continent’s more than 2000 indigenous food crops, often referred to as “orphan,” “neglected” or “underutilized” crops— varieties that have been largely overlooked by global agriculture but hold immense potential for local communities and sustainable food systems.
At a time when climate change, poverty, and instability are driving food insecurity— leaving one in five Africans undernourished and 58% facing moderate to severe hunger— investing in indigenous crops offers a powerful solution. By empowering farmers, fostering climate resilience, and offering both nutritional value and economic potential, these crops play a crucial role in combating food insecurity across the continent.
