About NUS Tanzania
NUS stands for Neglected and Underutilized Species. In Tanzania, these are traditional crops, fruits, and local foods that were once a regular part of everyday meals but have become less common as farming and food markets have focused on a few major staple crops.
Many of these foods are highly nutritious, providing important vitamins, minerals, and other nutrients that help support healthy and diverse diets. They are also often well adapted to local conditions and can grow even in challenging environments, making them valuable for climate resilience and food security.
These foods are deeply connected to Tanzania’s cultural heritage. They reflect the knowledge, traditions, and food practices of different communities across the country—from coastal areas to the highlands and rural farming regions. They are an important part of what makes Tanzanian food culture so rich and diverse.
NUS are also part of a forgotten food heritage, offering unique flavours and ingredients that have been enjoyed for generations. By bringing these foods back to our plates, Tanzania can celebrate its food diversity, preserve traditional knowledge, and reconnect with its culinary roots.
Climate Resilience
Heritage Preservation
Enhanced Nutrition
Diversified Livelihoods
Ecological Balance
Women’s upliftment
Traditional Crops Helping Families and Farmers Thrive
Real Stories
How NUS Change Lives
Amina Hassan
Grace Mkumbo
Juma Mwinyi
Neema Saidi
Fatuma Juma
Moses Komba
Our Produce
NUS Products
Boga
Mchicha
Mgagani
Njugu Mawe
Nyanya Chungu
Tembele
Topetope
Ufuta
Ulezi
Our ProducerAcorss Country
Our NUS Producers
Taste the tradition
NUS Recipes
Mangungu
Iftar with assorted vegetable
Chipwenje (Mseto)/ Bambara Pilau.
Pumpkin Chapatti
Pumpkins Mandazi
Bambara Ugali
Be part of the change
Join The NUS Movement
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About Us
SWISSAID is a non-governmental organization headquartered in Bern, Switzerland. In Tanzania, our main office is in Mikocheni, Dar es Salaam, with a regional office in Lindi Municipality.
Our mission is to create fair and lasting solutions to fight against the global food crisis.
We empower women, especially women in agriculture, to act as driving forces in the fight against hunger, poverty, and gender-based violence.
We are committed to bringing about an agroecological turning point in agriculture, and we support people in the Global South with the production and marketing of their products, all while preserving resources. In doing so, we promote social justice, improve biodiversity, and take action against climate change.
So that even the poorest can have access to healthy food and live self-determined lives free of violence.
Through our CONSUMPTION OF RESILIENT ORPHAN CROP FOR PRODUCTS FOR HEALTHIER DIETS Project (CROPS4HD), we encourage the cultivation of 12 neglected and underutilized nutritious crops. By improving seed systems, conserving seeds through community seed banks, and ensuring access to farmer-managed seeds, we support food security, better nutrition, income generation, and environmental conservation.
Our Mission & Vision
Promoting Nutritious, Agroecologically Produced NUS
Our Mission: To promote sustainable and diverse diets using nutritious, agroecologically produced NUS that benefit individual and ecosystem health.
Our Vision: A world where everyone enjoys healthy, diverse, and sustainably produced diets that nourish people, strengthen communities, and regenerate nature. By embracing agricultural biodiversity, traditional food heritage, and chemical-free farming, farmers—especially women and young people—can build resilient livelihoods, earn diverse incomes, and contribute to thriving ecosystems for future generations.
What drives us
Our Values
Trust & Transparency
Innovation
Collaboration & Inclusivity
Health & Wellness
Cultural Heritage
Commitment to Biodiversity
Growing together
Our Partners
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