Fonio

Fonio harvesting - Photo by Toujours Passages

Fonio or White fonio (Digitaria exilis) is a cereal crop grown in the savannas of West Africa. It has very small seeds and is therefore one of the cereals that are called “millets”. Sometimes it is called “hungry rice”. The seeds are used to prepare porridge, couscous, bread, and for brewing beer.

Fonio is a very fast growing crop. It can reach maturity within eight weeks. It is suitable for semi-arid areas with poor soils.

A related species Digitaria iburua is called Black fonio.

Names

Scientific
   Digitaria exilis
English
   Fonio
   Hungry rice
   White fonio
Dutch
   Fonio
Spanish
   Mijo fonio
French
   Fonio blanc
German
   Acha
   Foniohirse
   Hungerhirse
   Hungerreis
Italian
   Fonio

Taxonomy

Genus
   Digitaria
Family
   Poaceae
Order
   Poales

Basic information and facts

Origin:

West Africa

Distribution:

Savanna areas in West Africa (Cape Verde, Mali, Burkina Faso, Guinea, Chad, Nigeria)

Annual, biennial, or perennial:

Annual

Grains

The grains are oblong to globose-ellipsoid. They are about 0.5 mm long, with white to pale brown or purplish color.

Climate and weather:

Fonio can be cultivated in semi-arid climates.

Height:

Fonio is a grass up to 80 cm tall.

Spacing:

Propagation:

Grown from seed.

Harvesting:

Harvested by hand.

Uses:

Grains are used to make bread, porridge, couscous and to prepare beer. The straw and chaff can be used as fodder.

Crop categories

Cereals
Food crops
Staple food
Tropical crops

Pictures