Common Name: Black Fonio

General Information

Black fonio is an annual grass with erect stems 45 - 140cm tall.
The plant is grown as a staple food in some areas of Nigeria, and is often cultivated as a supplementary cereal crop by local people in other areas of Nigeria and in Togo[].

Known Hazards

None known

Botanical References

Range

Western Tropical Africa - Cote D'Ivoire to Cameroon.

Habitat

Not known in the wild

Properties

Edibility Rating
Habit	Annual
Height	1.00 m
Cultivation Status	Cultivated, Wild

Cultivation Details

Black fonio is a plant of tropical areas, where it is grown at elevations of 400 - 1,300 metres in areas with an annual rainfall of 900 - 1,000mm[].
Though it reputedly grows well on poor soils, it is usually planted on more fertile soils in northern Nigeria[]. It is often grown between rows of sorghum or pearl millet, and often as a mixture with D. Exilis[].

Edible Uses

Seed - cooked and used as a cereal. It is often ground into a fine powder, or used as a couscous[]. It is eaten as a porridge or mixed with the meal of other cereals[]. The grain is also eaten cooked like rice or in stews[].

Medicinal

None known

Other Uses

None known

Propagation

Seed - best sown in situ, only just covering the seed. The seed normally germinates 2 - 4 days after sowing and grows rapidly[].

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