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Transcript/ScriptUSAGM SHARE
((PLAYBOOK SLUG: SENEGAL CLIMATE SUPERFOOD
HEADLINE: Senegal Celebrates ‘Day of Fonio’ as Food Insecurity Looms
TEASER: As climate changes, some African countries that rely on grain imports, like Senegal, are looking to indigenous grains like fonio that thrive in drier soil.
PUBLISHED AT: 11/17/2022 at 8:15am
BYLINE: Annika Hammerschlag
DATELINE: KEDOUGOU, SENEGAL
VIDEOGRAPHER: Annika Hammerschlag
PRODUCER:
SCRIPT EDITORS: Schearf, DLJ
VIDEO SOURCE (S): VOA
PLATFORMS: WEB __ TV X RADIO X PHOTOS X
TRT: 2:10
VID APPROVED BY: wpm
TYPE: TVPKG
EDITOR NOTES: There is an accompanying radio piece.))
((INTRO))
[[As climate change has challenged food security, some African countries that have relied on grain imports, like Senegal, are looking to indigenous grains like fonio that thrive in drier soil. Senegal celebrated an annual "day of fonio" to urge increased production of the nutritious grain. Annika Hammerschlag reports from Kedougou, Senegal.]]
((NARRATION))
Senegal’s Kedougou region celebrates its annual day of fonio, a grain native to West Africa that is packed with nutrients like protein and amino acids.
The region, on the border with Guinea and Mali, has become known as Senegal’s fonio hub.
((Aissata Aya Ndiaye, Economic, Social and Environment Council (in Pular, 13 secs))
“The goal of this day is to raise awareness about the benefits of fonio and to encourage Senegalese people to adopt it into their diets.”
((NARRATION))
Fonio is gluten free, rich in iron, and grows easily without pesticides or chemical fertilizers.
Most importantly, the grain is drought resistant and thrives in poor soils.
((Aissata Aya Ndiaye, Economic, Social and Environment Council (in Pular, 16 secs))
“Fonio isn’t impacted by climate variations. We’re never scared of drought or floods – we can always count on fonio. We always have a good harvest.”
((NARRATION))
Food insecurity looms large in West Africa where climate change is blamed for weather extremes that challenge food production.
The need for tough, local crops like fonio is at an all-time high.
The COVID pandemic and Russia’s war on Ukraine exposed the region’s dependence on imports like rice and wheat.
((Khady Camara, Founder, Vacances Vertes, (in French, 18 secs))
“Now is the time to start thinking about how to stock up on reserves – for Africa and particularly for Senegal. Because if we don’t, in one or two decades, I assure you that famine will destroy all of Africa.”
((NARRATION))
Fonio production has been held back by the tiring shelling process, usually done by hand.
Dehulling machines donated by the U.S. African Development Foundation have benefited Senegal’s Kedougou region.
((Keba Barry, Fonio Processing Manager, GIE Koba Club, (in French, 10 secs))
“With the machine we can process 150 kilos per hour whereas manually, we can’t even process 10 kilos per hour.”
((NARRATION))
But other regions aren’t so lucky.
Senegal produced about 5,000 tons of fonio in 2019 compared to more than half a million tons in neighboring Guinea.
Fonio fans in Senegal hope leaders prioritize the grain’s production for food security and so it can reach its full potential.
((Annika Hammerschlag, for VOA News, Kedougou, Senegal
NewsML Media TopicsArts, Culture, Entertainment and Media
NetworkVOA
Embargo DateNovember 17, 2022 08:10 EST
BylineAnnika Hammerschlag
Brand / Language ServiceVoice of America - English
