Fonio: As a society, we face some of the biggest problems the world has to deal with. In 2023, 783 million people were affected by famine, and 45 million children suffer from severe malnutrition. Because of this, some efforts have been made to end hunger.
Microsoft co-founder Bill Gates’ Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation has been working to alleviate malnutrition’s effects for years.
During his last trip to Dakar in Senegal, he found food capable of fighting hunger.
Bill Gates on the grain called Fonio in West Africa
He says in his latest Gates Notes that In West Africa, there’s a grain that’s older than the wheel—but it could also be the future of food. It can grow in poor soils, resist droughts, and provide income for smallholder… pic.twitter.com/Sl1dmIhQR9
— Bayo Onanuga (@aonanuga1956) April 28, 2024
Among the oldest foods in the world, fonio, a cereal native to the African continent, fascinated the billionaire.
In West Africa, this grain has been feeding families for over 5,000 years, much longer than any other cereal.
With its high protein, fiber, iron, zinc and amino acid content, fonio is a great candidate to combat hunger due to its low water requirement and ability to grow on poor land, even rejuvenating the soil over time.
Since it is drought-resistant, it can be of great help in areas without rain.
I’ve recently become fascinated by an ancient family of grains called millets. Here’s why: https://t.co/Pq7vtwIuH1 pic.twitter.com/1eRw9ShAH0
— Bill Gates (@BillGates) April 17, 2024
In spite of its rapid growth, the part that is eaten is surrounded by a hard shell, whose removal is a laborious task.
During his last trip to Senegal, Gates visited a fonio processing plant to observe the cultivation of this cereal.
By reducing the time needed to break the shell, fonio becomes a possible solution to the famine because the food is more profitable.
The CEO of the African Agri-Food Company, Laura Layousse, told him that since the company buys the grain directly from local farmers, this new production chain does not affect them.
The plant treats the food in a more automated way, allowing it to be marketed globally.
Cereals like this have the potential to reduce hunger and alleviate malnutrition, especially in the most disadvantaged countries.
Also Read: Bill Gates: Technological innovation would help solve hunger
