International Year of Millets Webinar: “Fonio: enhancing collaboration for sustainable agriculture and improved livelihoods” on Nov. 29, 2024

  • SorghumBase Team
  • 27 November 2023

The Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO) is hosting an “IYM Global Webinar Series” focusing on the environmental, social and economic benefits of millets, as well as their rich heritage, during the International Year of Millets (IYM2023). The sixth webinar in the series, “Fonio: enhancing collaboration for sustainable agriculture and improved livelihoods”, will take place on November 29th from 7:00 – 8:30 AM EST. This webinar focuses on fonio, which is among the world’s fastest maturing cereals and one of the oldest crops in Africa. Fonio is highly nutritious and resistant to drought and high temperatures, giving it the potential to improve food security and nutrition, healthy diets and local development, and help make inroads into the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs). Webinar topics will include genetics, taxonomic diversity and distribution of fonio, seed science and conservation, sustainable cultivation practices, potential uses and nutritional values, and opportunities to generate income. Ms. Tiziana Ulian from the Royal Botanical Gardens in Kew will be moderating, Mr. Paolo Ceci from the Technical Cooperation Programme in Saudi Arabia, FAO will make the opening remarks, and Ms. Sarada Krishnan from Crop Trust in Germany will make the closing remarks.

 The presenters are:

  • Ms. Claire Billot, CIRAD, and Ms Adeline Barnaud, IRD, France – “A large regional partnership network to promote conservation and sustainable use of fonio”
  • Mr. Simon Krattinger, KAUST, Saudi Arabia – “Genomics to improve fonio millet”
  • Mr. George Burton, Imperial College London / RBG Kew, UK – “Fonio diversity in resilient landscapes”
  • Ms. Nadia M.L. Fanou-Fogny, University of Abomey Calavi, Benin – “Nutritional and food technology aspects of fonio”
  • Mr. Michel Ghanem, Forgotten Crops Society, France – “Fonio-fueled sustainable livelihood enhancement”
  • Ms. Fatmata Binta, Fulani Kitchen Foundation, Ghana – “Fonio as a driving force for empowering women”
  • Mr. Pierre Thiam, Yolélé & Teranga, United States of America – “New market opportunities for fonio”

Registration is required. For more information and to register click here.