Fonio Millet: The Climate-Resilient Super Grain

Fonio, an ancient West African millet, is gaining recognition for its resilience to climate change and high nutritional value. Traditionally cultivated by Fulani tribes, this drought-resistant grain thrives in poor soils with minimal water, making it a sustainable food source for arid and semi-arid regions. Highly versatile, Fonio can be used in salads, porridges, pasta, bread, or as a side dish. It is similar to Indian millets like sikiya, grown by the Baiga tribe in Madhya Pradesh, and raishan. Despite the UN declaring 2023 as the International Year of Millets, profit-driven farming is causing a decline in millet cultivation, as seen in Odisha’s Niyamgiri hills, where pineapple farming is replacing traditional millets.