Fonio

Fonio (Digitaria exilis) has been grown in West Africa for centuries. For a long time, it was of marginal importance as a cereal due to its small seeds, but is now the object of renewed interest as consumers begin to recognize its flavour and nutritional qualities. Research is under way with a view to mechanizing several processing stages, so as to increase fonio sales in urban areas, where it is particularly popular.

This site was set up by the Cirad (UMR Qualisud), in conjunction with various Research Institutes of West Africa or others partners from Southern countries. It mainly addresses stakeholders involved in the cereal commodity chain, but also anyone else with an interest in special crops, sometimes neglected, but playing an important part in food diversity.

Fonio field in Guinea (Fouta Djalon)

At the beginning of the 2000s, studies on improving fonio postharvest technologies were conducted within the framework of a first project funded by the CFC (Common Fund for Commodities) and supervised by the FAO. More recently, the research on upgrading quality and competitiveness of fonio for improved livelihoods in West Africa was financed by European Union (see INCO Fonio)