In a historic breakthrough for Nigerian agriculture and space research, Melon seeds, popularly known as ‘egusi’, a type of oilseed have been sent into space as part of a global scientific mission to study plant adaptability in microgravity.
Gatekeepers News reports that the initiative was spearheaded by Temidayo Oniosun, founder and Managing Director of Space in Africa, in collaboration with The Karman Project and Jaguar Space LLC.
The mission aims to explore how egusi performs in space conditions and assess its potential contribution to future food systems for long-duration space travel.
Originally scheduled for launch on Thursday, the SpaceX Falcon 9 rocket eventually took off from Cape Canaveral, Florida, on Friday at 11:43 AM EDT, carrying the egusi seeds—sourced from Oyo State—onboard NASA’s Crew-11 mission to the International Space Station (ISS). This marks the first time any seed from Nigeria or West Africa has made it into space.
According to Oniosun, egusi was selected not just for its agricultural value, but also for its strong cultural significance.
He explained in an interview with Channels TV, “I think personally, and, you know, this is a personal experience or personal story. I think that egusi is the most cultural dish in Nigeria.”
“You know, everybody eats egusi. The Yorubas lay claim to egusi that it originated from them. Even the Igbos also, they do the same.”
“They say, ‘Oh, you know, egusi is from Igbo land. So, a lot of people lay claim to its origin, and I don’t think there is a better dish that says, ‘See, I’m Nigerian,’ than egusi. Even people in the diaspora can connect to this.”
“And it has also travelled way beyond Nigeria. If you go across West Africa, you know, people are eating egusi.”
Egusi seeds are known for their rich nutrient profile, drought resistance, and ability to grow in poor soils. In Nigerian kitchens, they are often used in soups or as a meat substitute due to their high protein content.
Scientists hope this mission will provide insights into seed preservation, crop resilience, and innovative food production techniques for space missions and extreme conditions on Earth.
The egusi space project is part of a wider effort to explore sustainable food sources beyond our planet, potentially laying the groundwork for future space agriculture.
