Fonio

Fonio is a group of small-seeded cereal grasses native to West Africa, especially white fonio (Digitaria exilis). Its grains are cultivated as food, particularly in dry regions.

White fonio: Digitaria exilis is a West African grass cultivated for its small edible grains. It is the best-known species included in fonio.
Fonio cuisine: Fonio cuisine uses cooked fonio grains in dishes such as porridges, couscous-like meals, and baked foods. These preparations show how harvested fonio becomes food.
West African agriculture: West African agriculture comprises the region’s diverse farming systems, crops, and livestock practices. Fonio has been cultivated within this agricultural history.
Whole grains: Whole grains retain the bran, germ, and endosperm of cereal seeds after processing. Less-refined fonio retains more of the grain’s original components.
Black fonio: Digitaria iburua is a cultivated West African grass with dark grains. It is the other principal cultivated species grouped with fonio.
Food security: Food security exists when people reliably have access to sufficient, safe, nutritious food. Fonio can contribute locally available grain where harvests are uncertain.
African rice: African rice (Oryza glaberrima) is a rice species domesticated in West Africa. It is another indigenous cereal crop with a West African domestication history.
Glycemic index: The glycemic index ranks carbohydrate-containing foods by how quickly they raise blood glucose compared with a reference food. Fonio’s effect on blood glucose depends on processing and preparation, not its name alone.
Digitaria: Digitaria is a large genus of grasses that includes several food and forage plants. Fonio species belong to this grass genus.
Drought tolerance: Drought tolerance is the ability of an organism to maintain growth or function under water shortage. Fonio’s adaptation to dry conditions supports cultivation in regions with limited rainfall.

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