The global food system is facing dire challenges. With increasing concerns about climate change, food insecurity, biodiversity loss and malnutrition, there is an urgent need to rethink how and what people  eat. One critical area of focus gaining momentum is the rediscovery and promotion of forgotten foods—indigenous, underutilized crops that hold immense nutritional, cultural and economic value.

At The Food Bridge vzw, we are privileged to be leading a study on the trade of African food in Europe, funded by GFAiR – the Global Forum on Agricultural Research and Innovation, as part of the Collective Action on Forgotten Food. Our research aims to map the trade networks and market potential of these forgotten foods, focusing initially on the United Kingdom and France.

Why Indigenous African Food Matters

Indigenous African crops such as fonio, bambara groundnut, garden eggs, African bread fruit, baobab, varieties of cowpea and vegetables, are resilient, climate-smart, and nutritionally rich. These foods have sustained African communities for generations, yet they remain largely absent from mainstream global markets.  

However, on Europe,the African diaspora is gradually changing this narrative. From open markets to high-end restaurants, these communities are not just consumers but also entrepreneurs, chefs, and agrofood innovators. Our preliminary field trip to London revealed a vibrant, growing network of wholesalers, chefs, and small businesses using African ingredients. This evolution shows that there is an untapped market with cultural depth and great economic promise. 

The  Need  For A Global Food System Shift

The dominance of a few staple crops (wheat, maize, and rice), on global plates has led to a homogeneous food supply, which is detrimental to humanity. This system is vulnerable to shocks and contributes to malnutrition, ecological degradation, and market inequality. Thus Forgotten Foods offer a pathway toward a more just, resilient, and inclusive food system. Organizations like GFAiR and initiatives like the Collective Action on Forgotten Food are crucial in building this future. But beyond policy and research, real change requires  multistakeholder collaboration across the sectors with farmers, researchers, retailers, chefs and consumers.

Reviving forgotten foods is not a nostalgic exercise, it is a strong strategy for global food security, sustainability, and cultural inclusion. Indigenous African foods are not relics of the past; they are key ingredients in designing the future of  global food system.