Improvement of fonio postharvest technologies

.

From 1999 to 2004, the project “Improvement of fonio post-harvest technology“ was financed by CFC (Common Fund for Commodities) and supervised by FAO.

This regional project directed by Cirad (France) was implemented in cooperation with National Research Institutes: IER in Mali, IRAG in Guinea and IRSAT in Burkina Faso.

Technical studies resulted in the development of a fonio huller-whitener “GMBF” and several items of cleaning equipment (winnowing channel, rotary sieves..) that facilitate and improve the processing techniques used by the small companies or women’s group.

.

Upgrading quality and competitiveness of fonio in West Africa

From 2006 to 2008, European Community has financed a project dealing with “Upgrading quality and competitiveness of fonio for improved livelihoods in West Africa”.

This international project was coordinated by CIRAD and carried out in collaboration between African partners (IER Mali, IRAG Guinea, CIRDES Burkina Faso, ENDA Graf Senegal) and European partners (CRAW Belgium and Wageningen U in the Netherlands).

The project resulted in the development of new fonio products (precooked fonio, parboiled fonio …) and the design of new equipments (driers…).

.

.

Improvement of post-harvest and enhancement of fonio in Africa (Aval Fonio)

From 2012 to 2016, the African Union and the European Union (EuropeAid procedure) funded a project that focused on post-harvest improvement and fonio enhancement in Africa.

This international project was coordinated by CIRAD and carried out in collaboration with national research institutes (IER Mali, IRAG Guinea, IRSAT Burkina Faso) and the ESP in Dakar (Senegal).

The project has worked on the study of fonio cultivation systems in Guinea, the validation of drying equipment (solar greenhouse dryer and through-flow dryer), the design and experimentation of a fonio desander called "hydrolift" and support to small and medium-sized fonio processing companies in West Africa.

Website : AVAL FONIO