N’Djamena, Chad | 5–6 June 2026
How can Neglected and Underutilized Species (NUS) and NUS-based products gain greater visibility and acceptance among consumers?
This is the question under which partners from the CROPS4HD project gathered around, for the first-ever in-person Knowledge Exchange Workshop, held in N’Djamena, Chad, on 5–6 June 2026. Country representatives and market experts from Chad, Niger, Tanzania, India and Zimbabwe, alongside with partners from AFSA, and CROPS4HD coordination team, met to share experiences, learn from one another, and identify practical strategies to strengthen the market uptake of NUS and agroecological products.
As phase 1 of the project highlighted great capabilities and uptake with farmers in producing and transforming NUS, the first knowledge exchange workshop of phase 2, focused on the PULL aspects of the project and how to bridge NUS production with consumption?
Sharing Experiences and Building Knowledge on NUS Market Development
The obejctives of this two-day workshop were several. Sharing experiences, learning from each other’s successes and mistakes, progressing on NUS markets strategies, but more than anything, getting to know in person our colleagues from across the globe.
The workshop was structured into three working sessions focusing on Pull success stories across context; product marketing and NUS visual identity and awareness campaign. During the first day, partners shared successful experiences from the project’s PULL component, showcasing innovative approaches that have helped increase the visibility and market presence of NUS products. Partners shared concrete examples from their countries, including dedicated market spaces for NUS products in rural India, the development of local agri-food promoters in Chad, the transformation of farmers into market leaders and processors in Tanzania, and Niger’s successful Fonio Fair.
The second session focused on branding, packaging and visual identity. Through online support from our partners FiBL, participants explored best practices for product branding, labelling and promotion. Participants then worked in groups to assess packaging quality, product information and visual appeal of different country’s products : sesame oil, moringa powder, millet bars, bambara groundnut biscuits and pumpkin seeds products. This session allowed for sharing new design ideas for strengthening NUS branding across countries.
The third session looked at awareness-raising campaigns and consumer behaviour change. Drawing on FiBL’s methodological approaches, participants reflected on successful and less successful campaigns implemented in their respective countries. The session opened broader discussions on policy advocacy, certification, campaign impact measurement and strategies for creating sustainable market demand for agroecologically produced NUS products.
Strengthening Collaboration and Preparing the Next Steps
Beyond technical discussions, the workshop highlighted the value of bringing together partners from different countries to exchange experiences in-person. The workshop fostered new connections, strengthened existing partnerships, and created opportunities to identify practical solutions that can be adapted and replicated throughout the CROPS4HD network.
Feedback collected after the event confirmed the positive impact of this first in-person knowledge exchange workshop. Participants expressed a high level of satisfaction with both the workshop content and the opportunity to learn from one another. The workshop also generated a strong commitment to continue knowledge exchange beyond this event, with a strong interest in maintaining regular thematic discussions.
As CROPS4HD enters the second phase of the project focusing on scaling and amplifying previous achievements, this first in-person workshop highlighted the power of collaboration, collective learning and shared innovation. By connecting experiences, the consortium is working towards greater recognition of the role that neglected and underutilized species can play in building resilient, nutritious and agroecological food systems.
