In July 2017, a Whole Foods Store in New York’s Harlem decided to stock bags of fonio, a West African grain that is similar to couscous. Their first shipment sold out in a matter of hours.
Just last week, Los Angeles Lakers forward Luol Deng hosted a fonio party at his house. It is quite literally the hottest grain on the market that you have never eaten.
Noah Levine, the chief marketing officer at Yolélé Foods, a company that is attempting to create the first global supply chain for this grain, says that “We’re ready for fonio to go to the next level.” However, it’s a bit of a challenge. At the moment, fonio is grown throughout rural Senegal and other impoverished pockets of Africa’s Sahel region – a sub-Saharan stripe that stretches from the Atlantic Ocean to the Red Sea.
Yolélé’s product is only currently available in two specialty shops in Brooklyn, New York and Los Angeles.
The grains resurgence really couldn’t come at a better time for the fraught region. Most of the Sahel coastline – where the population is booming – is on the front lines of climate departure – the inflection point at which a place’s average temperature of its coolest year after 2005 becomes hotter than the historic average temperature of its hottest year since 1860.
“With climate departure comes an increase in climate variability,” says Christopher Field, the director of Stanford’s Woods Institute for the Environment. “In environments that are very climate-dependent, crops that produce even in bad years are going to matter more.”
Laos, Nigeria, Africa’s largest city, is on course to reach climate departure by 2029. Cape Town is scheduled to run out of water by June and hit its climate departure in 2038. Given the current climate, fonio could be the difference between feast and famine in this region.
Yolélé is trying to establish the world’s first fonio factory in Dakar, with the goal of providing an economic boost to the locals, many of whom risk their lives taking torturous paths of illicit migration across the Sahara and Mediterranean.
However, even in the 21st century, fonio industrialization is a tough feat. Sanoussi Diakite, an inventor from Senegal, created a machine for husking the grain 22 years ago. The problems clearly extend beyond manufacturing difficulties.
Stephen Wood, an ecologist with a master’s degree in economics who has studied the grain for a decade, says that, “I’m a super-fan of fonio. I’m just not a super-fan of the idea that it’s a cure-all. People don’t want to farm. They want to move to cities. Fonio isn’t going to change that.”
This grain is exceptionally light, so you need to eat more of it to feel full. Local diets are also lacking in meat and vegetables, not just grain.
Finally, there is a colonial mentality that we have to try and overcome. There’s a tendency “to look down at our own products and to see crops like fonio simply as country people’s food – therefore substandard,” said Pierre Thiam, an expert on African cuisine and Yolélé’s co-founder.
In fact, it’s easier to find a wheat baguette in the streets of Dakar than a croissant made from fonio, even though Senegal has never traditionally produced wheat.
Gluten-free, with four times the protein, three times the fiber and nearly twice the iron of brown rice, as well as a low glycemic index, fonio is undoubtedly a super grain. It doesn’t need much water to survive, can be harvested three times a year, and its extensive root system helps in the fight against soil erosion. In Levine’s eyes, fonio is the cure to hunger, drought, poverty, and the global migrant crisis.
The population of this part of Africa is expected to double by 2050. Is fonio going to feed all of these people? No, it isn’t. Can it end their poverty so they can live more like we do? Absolutely.
Source: sciencealert
Images: depositphotos
These Food Cravings Could Indicate Health Problems
Studies show that certain food cravings and eating habits could be your body's way of telling you that there is a problem.
Before Refrigerators, How Did People Keep Food Fresh?
Ever wondered how people kept stuff cool before the invention of the refrigerator? Let's find out.
Ruby Chocolate is More Than Just Its Pretty Pink Color
Ruby chocolate, the "fourth type of chocolate", has been gaining a lot of attention of late. Is it really a different type of chocolate?
Never Waste Food Again After Reading These Tips
Food wastage is always a shame, and that's why we should all do our best to avoid it as much as possible.
What Makes Sandwich Bread so Different than Bakery Bread?
The imminent differences between sandwich bread and bakery bread has an effect on your health.
Delicious Anti-Cancer Broccoli Soup Can Be Made at Home
This creamy broccoli soup is not only delicious, but it also has cancer-fighting properties. Follow this recipe to learn how to make this tasty dish.
The Slightly Bizarre Club of Hair for Men!
Meet the largest community of men dedicated to growing and celebrating their beards and mustaches, all gathered in Las Vegas, Nevada, to attend the 2012 National Beard and Mustache Championships! You have never seen so much epic, amazing and downrigh
14 Creepy Facts That Will Send Shivers Down Your Spine
These 14 surprising facts about the world may definitely send shivers down your spine, but they are still important to know and recognize!
Wish Someone a Lovely Day With This Great Song...
This uplifting song is going to make anyone's day, guaranteed!
Smart Synonyms for 16 Words That Will Elevate Your Speech
Sound smarter and enrich your lexicon with these 16 clever alternatives to ordinary English words
Do You Remember Playing Like These Photographed Children?
In the days before cellphones, the internet, and the like, we children had to learn how to make our fun. Remember playing like these retro kids?
Millennials Are Killing These 12 Industries...
The preferences of millennials are destroying dozens of industries. Here are 12 industries that they're killing.
Then & Now Photos Show How the World Has Changed
Here are some of the best pictures contributed by their users. Which impressed you most?
The Most Insightful Quotes From the Mind of Albert Einstein
Allow me to share some of the insightful quotes that came out of Albert Einstein's head
These Female Celebs Have Aged Like Fine Wine (28 Pics)
These female celebrities are aging just like fine wine.
Benjamin Franklin's Wisdom Has Echoed Throughout the Ages
In addition to being one of the Founding Fathers of the United States, Benjamin Franklin left many a thought to ponder. Here are 15 of his most famous quotes.
I Can't Wait to Try These Exciting Kitchen Inventions
Whether you like cooking of not, you'll surely appreciate these ingenious kitchen gadgets designed to make life easier.
From Across the Decades, These Photos are Fascinating!
Join us as we take you through the ages and see some really incredible sights!
These Victorian Era Facts Are Instantly Fascinating
An era of 74 Years in English history, the Victorian era is one of the most interesting periods in history.
12 Rules for Basic Etiquette that Should Still be Practiced
It feels like people forgot the meaning of politeness, well these 12 rules of manners should be read, remembered and acted upon.
10 Incredible People You Never Heard Of!
Here are 10 people who have, in their own ways, saved countless lives and at times, the entire planet. They deserve to be known.
Learn Something New Today With These Mind-Blowing Facts
These intriguing facts will teach you something new today.
Watch: An Emotional Interview With a Dunkirk Veteran
At the premiere of the hit movie, Dunkirk, at Calgary’s Westhills Cinemas, theatergoers ended up having a surprise encounter with a 97-year-old veteran.
The Mysterious City of Caesars and 4 Other Mythical Places
These fascinating, but lesser-known mythical cities have captivated the imaginations of people for centuries, learn about them yourself
It’s a Shame We Stopped Using These 17 Old English Words
These 17 old words are definitely missing in our modern vocabularies and deserve to be brought back into day-to-day speech
These Photos Will Help Restore Your Faith in Humanity!
These pictures will surely put a smile on your face, and they may even make you cry tears of happiness. However, most importantly, we hope they inspire you.
6 Creepy Mysteries the World Never Solved
There are some mysteries that, despite scientists’ best attempts, still remain unsolved to this day. Here are 6 such mysteries.
I've Never Heard This Amazing Tale From the 2nd World War
This is going to be one of the most amazing stories you've ever heard. I guarantee it.
What Does the Color of an Egg Yolk Mean? Find Out Here!
Ever wondered what the color of an egg yolk says about the quality of the egg? If so, then wonder no more...
Take a Look At These Mind-bending Optical Illusions
Optical illusions are a great ways of showing how the mind can play tricks on you, and the ones you're about to see are no exception.
These Facts Sound Made Up, But Are Totally Real!
These weird facts may sound completely fake, but we can prove that they’re actually real.
Watch This Card Magician Make Penn and Teller’s Jaws Drop
Everybody knows colored light can make things appear different, but can it actually permanently paint them? This magician believes it can.
Yasuke: The Story of the African Samurai
The incredible historical story of an African man who went to Japan on a Portuguese ship and never came back, remaining as a powerful Samurai named Yasuke.
These Optical Illusions Made Me Question Everything I See!
These optical illusions really give credence to the notion that the human eye is far from infallible. Here are 20 mind-bending optical illusions for you to try.
The Precious World of Jewelry: Art, Care and Tips
Admire a world of jewelry, from the most creative, to the most valuable and the most expensive, learning a few handy tips in the meantime...
How Clean Are Hotel Rooms, Really? Find Out the Answer!
Hotel rooms always look clean and fresh, but are they?
12 Freaky Photos of Olympians That Will Shock You
These surreal pictures of Olympians will make you see athletes in a different light.
8 Weird and Wacky Failed Inventions from the Past
Here is a look at some weird and wacky inventions from the past that never quite took off despite their innovativeness.
Who Said You Can't Train Cats?
Suki the cat is getting some agility training. If you thought cats cannot be trained, this is documented proof that notion is false. You just need to give them the right motivation, or in other words - use food...
Historic Photos From Days of Christmas' Past...
Christmas is said to be a time of love, cheer, and human compassion. These photos may be decades-old, but the stories they tell are not much different than the stories of today.
Meet the 10 Most Influential Figures of the Renaissance
Learn about the 10 most influential characters from the rebirth of Western civilization, including sculptors, painters, architects, writers, humanists, scientists, and philosophers.
These Well-Known Places Have Their Hidden Secrets!
These well-known places have their hidden secrets. Read this article to reveal all!
When Animals Go Rogue: True Tales of Man-Eating Animals
Throughout history, many animals have turned into deadly man-eaters. Here’s a list of the most intense books on the subject.
This Video is a Must for All History Buffs!
Seeing history move right before our eyes teaches us so much about the last 2000 years!
These Unique Maps Tell a Great Deal...
These 19 maps of the world are anything but boring. Each map is compelling and teaches you something new about the world.
Meet the Sweet Girl With a ‘Benjamin Button’ Condition
Meet Isla Kilpatrick-Screaton, the only girl in the world with 'Benjamin Button' disease.