FAO reveals 100 forgotten foods from Africa

The United Nations’s Food and Agricultural Organization (FAO) and the Forum for Agricultural Research in Africa (FARA) launched the Integrating Africa’s Forgotten Foods for Better Nutrition publication together with a Compendium of Forgotten Foods in Africa, which catalogues 100 native foods that hold the key to sustainable and resilient food practices.

The FAO selected foods based on geographic adaptability, nutritional information and cultural significance.

These foods are imbued with stories and meanings passed down through generations.

Traditional agriculture has been marginalised in many parts of Africa by the shift towards cash crops and intensive farming methods. The reintroduction of crops adapted to this land and climate is a step towards ecological balance.

Among the hundred forgotten foods featured are two varieties of fonio, a highly nutritious grain long cultivated across West Africa from Senegal to Chad.

White fonio thrives in poor soil conditions and is known for its fast-growing cycle, while black fonio is primarily grown in Nigeria and the northern regions of Togo and Benin.

Fonio is exceptionally versatile in its culinary uses: the seeds can be cooked as a staple like couscous, ground into flour for bread or used to make both thick and thin porridges. The whole seed can also be popped like popcorn.

Another standout in the compendium is the baobab fruit, grown on what is known in Madagascar as the “Tree of Life.”

Given the particular shape of this plant, an Arabian legend has it that “the devil plucked up the baobab, thrust its branches into the earth and left its roots in the air”.

Discover the full list of the 100 forgotten African foods here.

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