NUS are nutritious local crops, adapted to the climatic conditions of the Sahel and essential for food security, rural incomes and climate resilience. 

Integrating NUS into production systems creates tangible benefits when research, training and markets support producers. 

Investing in NUS enables Sahel governments to make simultaneous progress on food security, rural employment, climate change adaptation and the implementation of key international commitments to which countries in the region have acceded regarding biodiversity and sustainable agriculture. 

Officially recognise NUS as strategic crops for agroecology and climate adaptation. Explicitly integrate NUS into agricultural, nutritional and educational policies, climate strategies and national biodiversity plans, with clear objectives and dedicated resources. 

Strengthen seed systems for NUS – Support community seed banks and participatory breeding. 

Invest in agroecological training and advisory services – Train farmers in organic fertilisers, conservation and the sustainable management of land and water. 

Structuring markets and marketing – Moving from the informal to the formal and structured sector. Raising consumer awareness, promoting local recipes and developing markets (including school meals) is just as important as production. 

Developing storage and distribution networks and supporting digital platform.