
01/09/2025
What’s the importance of sending African crops, like egusi seeds, to space?
We noticed that most of our followers were struggling with the whole idea of egusi travelling to space. So we did some research and found out that the value of having egusi in space goes far beyond the experiment itself.
For Africa and food security
Studying how egusi behaves in space gives scientists clues about how resilient the crop is. If it can survive in extreme environments like microgravity, it could help us discover ways to make it grow better here on Earth. This kind of research might one day contribute to tackling food insecurity and hunger across Africa.
For space exploration
Future astronauts won’t survive on packaged meals alone — they’ll need to grow food on long missions to the Moon or Mars. Testing indigenous African crops in space opens the door for African food traditions to be part of humanity’s journey into space. Imagine astronauts eating egusi soup millions of miles from Earth!
For science and innovation
Seeds behave differently in microgravity — sometimes revealing traits we don’t see on Earth. Egusi could show new strengths or vulnerabilities, and every new discovery adds to global knowledge. Most importantly, it ensures Africa is contributing its own biodiversity and ideas to global space science.
So the importance is twofold: it’s about securing Africa’s future here on Earth, while also ensuring Africa has a seat at the table in shaping the future of humanity in space.