Back فونيو Arabic فونيو ARZ Fini BM Fonio Breton Fonio Catalan Digitaria exilis CEB Rosička útlá Czech Kabiga DAG Foniohirse German Digitaria exilis Spanish
| Digitaria exilis | |
|---|---|
| |
Scientific classification 
| |
| Kingdom: | Plantae |
| Clade: | Tracheophytes |
| Clade: | Angiosperms |
| Clade: | Monocots |
| Clade: | Commelinids |
| Order: | Poales |
| Family: | Poaceae |
| Subfamily: | Panicoideae |
| Genus: | Digitaria |
| Species: | D. exilis
|
| Binomial name | |
| Digitaria exilis (Kippist) Stapf
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| Synonyms[1] | |
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Digitaria exilis, referred to as findi or fundi[2] in areas of Africa, such as The Gambia,[a][4] with English common names white fonio, fonio millet, and hungry rice or acha rice,[5] is a grass species. It is the most important of a diverse group of wild and domesticated Digitaria species known as fonio that are harvested in the savannas of West Africa. The grains are very small. It has potential to improve nutrition, boost food security,[6] foster rural development and support sustainable use of the land. Despite its valuable characteristics and widespread cultivation, fonio has generally received limited research and development attention, which is also why the species is sometimes referred to as an underutilized crop.[7]
The name (borrowed by English from French) is from Wolof foño.[8]
Fonio has continued to be important locally because it is both nutritious and one of the world's fastest growing cereals, reaching maturity in as little as six to eight weeks. It is a crop that can be relied on in semi-arid areas with poor soils, where rains are brief and unreliable. The grains are used in porridge and couscous, for bread, and for beer.
The small grains make it difficult and time-consuming to remove the husk. Traditional methods include pounding it in a mortar with sand (then separating the grains and sand) or "popping" it over a flame and then pounding it (which yields a toasted color grain; this technique is used among the Akposso). The invention of a simple fonio husking machine offers an easier mechanical way to dehusk.
The genetic diversity of Digitaria exilis varies from region to region in Africa. For example, not much genetic diversity was detected among the domesticated Digitaria exilis landraces from Mali.[9] In contrast, large levels of genetic diversity were detected among the domesticated Digitaria exilis landraces of the Upper Niger River Basin of West Africa.[10] The many different landraces of Digitaria exilis are affected differently by the various processing methods.[11]
The European Commission with the EU Regulation L 323/1 of December 19, 2018 approved the commercialization in Europe of Fonio as Novel Food, upon the scientific dossier managed and submitted by “the applicant” Italian company Obà Food.[12][13]
- ^ "The Plant List: A Working List of All Plant Species". Retrieved 30 January 2015.
- ^ Blench, Roger (2006). Archaeology, language, and the African past. Altamira Press. ISBN 9780759104655.
- ^ "Agriculture International". Volumes 42-43. Agraria Press. 1990. p. 132. Retrieved 30 September 2016.
- ^ Saine, A. (2012). Culture and Customs of Gambia. Culture and customs of Africa. Greenwood. p. 95. ISBN 978-0-313-35910-1.
- ^ "Digitaria exilis". Germplasm Resources Information Network. Agricultural Research Service, United States Department of Agriculture. Retrieved 6 February 2015.
- ^ "'Fonio just grows naturally': Could ancient indigenous crops ensure food security for Africa?". TheGuardian.com. 7 July 2022.
- ^ Rose, V. (2017). "Fonio: Tasty early-maturing cereal for" (PDF). Bioversity international & EIR Mali. Archived from the original (PDF) on 2018-01-25. Retrieved 2018-01-24.
{{cite journal}}: Cite journal requires|journal=(help) - ^ Christian Seignobos and Henry Tourneux, Le Nord-Cameroun à travers ses mots: Dictionnaire de termes anciens et modernes: Province de l'extrême-nord (KARTHALA Editions, 2002; ISBN 2845862458), p. 107.
- ^ Koreissi-Dembélé, Y., Fanou-Fogny, N., Hulshof, P., & Brouwer, I. (2013). Fonio (Digitaria exilis) landraces in Mali: Nutrient and phytate content, genetic diversity and effect of processing. Journal of Food Composition and Analysis, 29(2), 134-143.
- ^ Adoukonou-Sagbadja, H., Wagner, C., Dansi, A., Ahlemeyer, J., Daïnou, O., Akpagana, K., & Friedt, W. (2007). Genetic diversity and population differentiation of traditional fonio millet (Digitaria spp.) landraces from different agro-ecological zones of West Africa. Theoretical and Applied Genetics, 115(7), 917-931.
- ^ Ballogou, V., Sagbo, F., Soumanou, M., Manful, J., Toukourou, F., & Hounhouigan, J. (2015). Effect of processing method on physics-chemical and functional properties of two fonio (Digitaria exilis) landraces. Journal of Food Science and Technology, 52(3), 1560-1577.
- ^ "Fonio: EU Novel Food Approval". Official Journal of the European Union.
- ^ "Italian firm Obà brings Fonio to Europe". Food Navigator.
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