The devastation that the modern capitalism system has caused and continues to cause means that we are losing hundreds of insect and plant species every day. However, some communities are putting up a dogged fight to hold on to the foods, nature and way of life that they inherited from their ancestors. The Bassari of Senegal, a community of some of the most warm and loving people that you will find anywhere, are trying to preserve dozens of fonio and millet varieties for future generations.

Fonio has never really interested people outside West Africa …until very recently. Even in urban parts of countries like Senegal, Guinea Bissau and Ghana where trade value chains have shrunk food choices down to a small list of items – rice, beans, yams, etc.- people do not necessarily know about fonio that well either. However, due to a growing demand for “superfoods”, fonio has suddenly been thrust into the spotlight.