Being heralded as a superfood, fonio is a natural wonder that’s suddenly getting a lot of attention. A staple in West African diets, this mighty grain is being touted for its healthful properties and is rapidly gaining attention across the globe thanks to its promotion by Senegalese chef and cookbook author, Pierre Thiam. He partnered with Philip Teverow to found Yolélé, an African food company with the mission to create a global market for underutilized crops like fonio and others from Africa, contributing to preserving biodiversity, diversifying the global diet, and, most importantly, bringing economic opportunities to small farming communities in Africa. “Fonio, in particular, caught my attention. It’s the oldest cultivated grain in Africa, it’s been around for 5,000 years. It’s quite resilient and can grow in poor soil. Furthermore, it is drought-resistant and thanks to its deep roots, it regenerates the soil by adding nutrients to it. It is gluten-free and it is also very nutritious.
SOURCE: YAHOO
