On October 26 2026, Wageningen University & Research will be organizing a symposium on the role and potential of neglected and underutilized species for healthy and sustainable diets globally.
The event includes presentations from experts throughout the food system, from leading researchers in seed systems, political economy, nutrition, biodiversity of diets, and ethnobotany to famous chefs and journalists.

Key note speakers :

Dan Saladino, BBC journalist and author of “Eating to extinction”
Emile van der Staak, chef of Michelin star restaurant De Nieuwe Winkel in Nijmegen, the Netherlands & Wouter van Eck, food forest pioneer
Wisdom Abiro, Head chef at Ghana Food Movement, Ghana
Dr. Mercy Lung’aho, Program Lead for Food Security, Nutrition and Health at the International Institute of Tropical Agriculture (IITA), Nigeria
Prof. Baukje de Roos, Chair of Nutrition, Health & Sustainable Food Systems of University of Aberdeen, U.K.
Dr. Patrick Maundu, ethnobotanist at the National Museums of Kenya (Kenya Resource Centre for Indigenous Knowledge – KENRIK), Kenya
Dr. Wanjiku Gichohi, Public Health Nutritionist and Food Systems Researcher at World Fish, Malaysia
Dr. Emily Ouma, Senior Scientist, Agricultural Economist at the International Livestock Research Institute (ILRI), Uganda
Dr. Mathieu Ayenan, Associate Scientist – Vegetable Breeder, World Vegetable Center, Benin
Followed by reception with snacks and drinks. Omnia building, Wageningen University Campus, the Netherlands
Free entrance after registration for everyone.
Registration: 
https://www.wur.nl/en/activity/neglected-underutilized-species