Crossposted from the Worldwatch Institute’s Nourishing the Planet.

You may not have heard of fonio, but it is Africa’s oldest cereal. For the Dogon people of Mali, fonio is “the seed of the universe” – an appropriate name considering its high nutritional value, and adaptability to the region’s soil and climate. From Lake Chad to the savannah regions of Senegal and Guinea, fonio is an important source of food for some 4 million people across West Africa.

It is one of the most nutritious of all grains. Fonio is rich in important amino acids – not found in wheat, rice, maize, or sorghum – such as methionine and cystine, which help synthesize protein. And its low sugar content makes fonio an ideal food for people with diabetes.

The plant can tolerate poor soils, which are often too infertile for other cereals, like sorghum and pearl millet. Given its adaptability, fonio is widely cultivated across the Fouta Djallon Plateau of Guinea, because it can grow on acidic soils with a high aluminum content that is harmful to other crops. And when low rainfall makes it difficult for farmers in Sierra Leone to grow rice in their paddies, they often turn to fonio to protect them from total crop failure.

Fonio is also among the world’s fastest maturing cereals. Crops produce grains as quickly as 6 to 8 weeks after being planted, and are ready to be harvested long before most other grains. During Africa’s hungry season, when farmers are waiting for other crops to mature, fonio becomes the “grain of life.” It is this property that gives fonio its popular English name, “hungry rice.” But people also grow fonio because they love how it tastes.

Black fonio, as well as the more popular white varieties, are characterized by very small seeds, which are an important ingredient in traditional dishes. When cooked, fonio has a consistency similar to couscous, and is served with a peanut sauce or chicken stew. It is also used to make porridge and gruel, and you can be sure to find fonio among the food served at religious and traditional ceremonies. The Lambas in northern Togo also brew a traditional beer (tchapalo) from white fonio. And the grain, chaff, and straw make excellent fodder for cattle, sheep, goats, and donkeys. And if that’s not enough, the straw can also be chopped and mixed with clay to build walls or burned to provide heat for cooking.

Unfortunately, although fonio’s value is evident, it has not received much attention. Farmers speak of the need for better processing equipment that can help reduce labor, as well as the need to develop greater demand for the crop and better access to markets. As innovative efforts to preserve Africa’s food security crop up across the continent, people are starting to focus on fonio.

To learn more about crops indigenous to Africa, see: Reigniting an Interest in Local food, Traditional Food Crops Provide Community Resilience in Face of Climate Change, Monkey Oranges: Mouthwatering Potential, The Green Gold of Africa, The Locust Bean: An Answer to Africa’s Greatest Needs in One Tree, Lablab: The Bountiful, Beautiful Legume, Moringa: The Giving Tree, Black-eyed Peas to the Rescue, and The Taming of the Dika: West Africa’s Most Eligible Wild Tree.

Crossposted from the Worldwatch Institute’s Nourishing the Planet.

Malezas Comestibles del Cono Sur or Edible Weeds of the Southern Continent, is a guidebook to 240 edible weeds. (Photo credit: Rapoport and Drausal)

“The idea was to bring a lot of expertise from the corporate world to help young social start ups,” says Fred Rose when asked about his motivation for founding the Acara Institute two years ago. As part of the Minnesota University’s Institute on the Environment, Acara has developed a classroom curriculum for universities in the U.S. and in India that challenges students to think creatively about how to use private businesses to solve pressing global issues such as hunger and poverty. But instead of the semester culminating in an exam or a paper, Acara provides students the necessary tools to turn their best class work into reality.

“There is a lot of energy in the business world and in young people,” says Fred, “that is being directed towards providing services or materials that help to make the world a better place. I wanted to help provide young business students with better tools to help them make a profit through solving some of these global challenges we face today.”

As part of their studies, students enrolled in Acara’s program compete in the Acara Challenge. Participating universities in the U.S. are partnered with universities in India, creating teams of 15 students who will work together to come up with a business plan to address a specific problem chosen by Acara. “Last year’s competition theme was clean water for cooking and this year is on food and water security,” explained Fred. “This year, basically, we are asking the question,’ how are we going to feed 9 billion people without destroying everything?’”

Winning teams are given the opportunity to attend the Acara Summer Institute and to see if their model can become reality. Working with experts in the field and on the ground, students can refine their business plan and prepare for an actual launch. “There are always assumptions about what will or won’t work,” says Fred. “Even the best models may be based on incorrect assumptions and it’s incredibly valuable for students to view that first hand. They also get to meet their international teammates in person and discuss their project’s future potential.”

A number of projects from past years have even moved beyond that final assessment stage, earning attention from funders. “We have some prototype businesses that have gotten started and received some funding,” says Fred. “Currently there is a program on the ground that is developing drip irrigation systems to sell and improve farm water management, and a program that is using bio digesters to create fuel from dairy cow waste.”

But the success of these projects would not be possible, says Fred, without the partnerships between the students in the U.S. and in India. “The idea is that the students in India have to do the field work because they are already on the ground. They go out and conduct interviews and observe so that they can create a business model with the people in the U.S. that will actually work on the ground.”

The partnership also helps to ensure that the business models are sustainable. “The long term sustainability of any of these projects has to be with the students in India,” says Fred. “It’s pretty arrogant to think you can sit here in a classroom in Minneapolis and fix these hugely complicated problems half way around the world.”

To read more about how innovations in the classroom are helping to improve livelihoods and alleviate hunger and poverty, see: Using Digital Technology to Empower and Connect Young Farmers, How to Keep Kids Down on the Farm, Listening to Farmers, Keeping Weeds for Nutrition and Taste, Cultivating a Passion for Agriculture, and Taking the Classroom to the Field.

Crossposted from the Worldwatch Institute’s Nourishing the Planet.

Monkey oranges are a popular and delicious African wild fruit. (Photo Credit: U.N. Food and Agriculture Organization)

Monkey oranges have all the characteristics of a successful crop–high productivity, high prices, extended shelf life, pest resistance, delicious flavor, and high demand. But , the fruit remains undomesticated and has rarely undergone organized cultivation.

Monkey orange trees—similar in shape and size to apple, pear, and orange trees—are a highly coveted African wild fruit tree, and farmers will often leave them standing when clearing land for cultivation of field crops. The fruit is difficult to find and in short supply because it is in such high demand, a demand which is typically unmet in African markets.

The grapefruit-sized fruit tends to be yellow, orange, or brown, and emits a sweet scent with a touch of clove. They are known for their delicious sweet and sour flavor and are rich in vitamin C and in B vitamins. It is traditionally eaten raw, or made into jam, juice, or fruit wine.

The trees bear abundant fruit, which sell at very high prices in local markets. A mature tree can bear 300 to 400 fruits per year. Indigenous to tropical and subtropical Africa, they are capable of growing in arid and semi-arid areas and in poor and rocky soils. Their tough outer shells make them resistant to fungi and fruit flies and protect them from being easily damaged in transport and storage. They have an exceptional ability to remain edible in tropical heat for months after fruit maturity. Monkey oranges could be used to produce juices and dry fruit rolls commercially, and the fruit tree has been introduced into Israel for potential commercial crop development.

Monkey oranges are an important indigenous African resource that supports farmers in times of crop failure, and are a supplemental food in rural areas. By adding them to crop fields, gardens, parks, fence lines, and street sides they can boost food security and nutrition. They are a source of shade and erosion protection, and the wood is commonly used for firewood, tool handles, and building poles. In this way, promotion of monkey orange trees could potentially foster sustainable development in rural, sub-Saharan African communities.

To learn more about crops indigenous to Africa, see: The Locust Bean: An Answer to Africa’s Greatest Needs in One Tree, Moringa: The Giving Tree, The Taming of the Dika: West Africa’s Most Eligible Wild Tree, Sorghum: Rise to Prominence, Amaranth: Food Production Without Attention, African Eggplant: The Fruit that is Enjoyed as Vegetable, and The Locust Bean: An Answer to Africa’s Greatest Needs in One Tree.

Crossposted from the Worldwatch Institute’s Nourishing the Planet.

Bedford Country School using the Knowledge Network IT Learning System and E-learning Extensions. (Photo credit: Knowledge Network)

Over the last fifty years or so, “the world has changed a lot,” says Paul Clark, project manager for Knowledge Network®. “In rural areas there is a growing demand for resources that are… increasingly depleted. Meanwhile, knowing how to use computers and exposure to the internet is increasingly important. So we are combing these skills to improve the local environment and livelihoods.”

To help children—and adults— deal with their changing world, Knowledge Network® provides training in basic computer skills, graphic and web design, spreadsheet creation and use, and business skills. But Knowledge Network® also integrates issues like climate change, wildlife conservation and natural resource restoration into their lesson plans. And by partnering with schools, such as the Bedford Country School, Knowledge Network® is helping to bring these lessons to the young people who need them the most.

“A lot of the kids in South Africa come from very poor families,” explains Paul. “They are mostly worried about what is going to be on the table for lunch or dinner and many don’t have electricity or flowing water. Bedford Country School is in a farming community and the ability to grow what they need to survive and not destroy the environment while they do that is important.”

Part of what exacerbates poverty in the area, explains Paul, is that “the demand for local resources is growing but the resources are decreasing with pollution and urbanization.” Often farmers clear forests to make room for more farmland, and the water is contaminated from farm runoff and lack of infrastructure. “Soon the water in the area won’t even be potable or safe to use for irrigation,” says Paul.

As a result, the Bedford Country School, in partnership with Knowledge Network® is providing its students with the skills to take care of the water and land they need in order to feed their families, as well as preparing them for the technological demands of a world increasingly dependent on computers. “We supply the integrated lessons,” says Paul, “and the school then works these lessons into their learning program, often basing it on their own natural environment.” Bedford maintains a year-round garden on its grounds where the students learn basic farming skills. In addition to farming, the students take field trips out into the surrounding wildlife and farm land to learn about the importance of preserving the local natural resources—both for the health of the environment and for the wellbeing of their future livelihoods.

Back in the classroom, students learn to use the computer as a tool in order to do research, for example on improved methods of irrigation and other farming practices online, as well as how to put together PowerPoint presentations, Word documents, large posters, and other materials that they then use to present their new knowledge to the rest of the class and community. “The great part about this program,” says Paul, “is that kids can go out in the garden and actually plant the tomatoes. Then they can learn about the best way to keep the tomatoes healthy while also minimizing any damage to the surrounding environment. Then they can come inside and share everything they’ve learned with each other, gaining further skills in computer use that they’ll need in the business world.”

Paul says the program is improving more than just computer skills. “The students are really getting into the research and applying their new knowledge and it’s filtering down to every area. Their English and communication skills are improving, their math is improving and they understand that they can find answers and information online all on their own.”

As this project is successful at the Bedford Country School, the program is hoping to gain funding to grow and move into other communities that can benefit from it as well. Meanwhile, the students at Bedford Country School are sharing the resources they have and learning and developing their skill rapidly. “They are very young with so much in front of them,” says Paul. “It is amazing to see what they are achieving now and exciting to imagine what is ahead of them.”

To learn more about how schools are providing students with the information they need to improve the environment and their livelihoods through agriculture, see: Reigniting an Interest in Local Food, In the Classroom, “Trickle Up Education” to Improve Diets and Livelihoods for the Whole Community, How to Keep Kids Down on the Farm, and Cultivating a Passion for Agriculture.

Crossposted from the Worldwatch Institute’s Nourishing the Planet.

Often called ‘magic’ marama, the green gold of Africa, this plant is working its secret charm above and below ground in southern Africa. Above ground it produces seeds similar to the peanut or soybean, but is actually higher in nutritional value than either; below ground it produces a high-protein tuber that is bigger and healthier than potatoes, yams or sugar beets. And to top it off, the planet can also generate a high quality vegetable oil.

Marama tubers have been dug up that weigh anywhere between 20 and 200kg. (Photo credit: Inco Marama II Project)

Native to the Kalahari Desert across Botswana, Namibia and South Africa, marama has been a part of the diet of the indigenous people in the area for the generations. And yet, it has not been introduced into wide range cultivation and remains one of the most neglected indigenous vegetables in Africa.

Nutritious beans and tubers aren’t the only benefits. The plant thrives in the poor quality, sandy soil of the desert, withstanding blistering summer temperatures, freezing nights of the Kalahari winters, and highly erratic – and often absent – rainfall. While marama seeds are virtually inedible straight from the pod, they are delicious once they harden and are often roasted, compared to the nutty flavor of cashew nuts. In addition to the oil that can be produced from the seeds, the plant is particularly good fodder for livestock.

And the nourishing possibilities aren’t restricted to food. The plant likely survives its dry ecosystem by storing water in its tubers, which hold immense amounts, even up to 250 kg. In arid regions they are often referred to as “living cisterns” that provide an emergency source of water.

In addition to being a weapon to fight malnutrition by providing high level concentrated and protein and energy in a region where food security is a high priority, the plant is also capable of battling desertification. The highly drought-tolerant plant sprawls across land, it creates biomass that protects the soil from erosion. While most agronomists agree that it is not yet ready for large-scale cultivation, the research is badly needed to learn management techniques that would harness the plant’s enormous potential in the right environments. Given its affinity for dry areas, testing it in projects aimed at alleviating rural poverty and malnutrition in the drought-prone areas in southern Africa could have great results in mitigating climate change.

To learn more about crops indigenous to Africa, see: The Locust Bean: An Answer to Africa’s Greatest Needs in One Tree, Moringa: The Giving Tree, The Taming of the Dika: West Africa’s Most Eligible Wild Tree, Amaranth: Food Production Without Attention, African Eggplant: The Fruit that is Enjoyed as Vegetable, The Little Legume That Could, and The Locust Bean: An Answer to Africa’s Greatest Needs in One Tree.

Crossposted from the Worldwatch Institute’s Nourishing the Planet.

In Kenya, for the over 5,000 people living in rural communities on or near its shore, Lake Victoria—the largest body of freshwater in Africa—is a life line. It is the main source of water for bathing, drinking, and cooking in the area and its fish populations provide both protein and income to families. “But the shores of Lake Victoria are choking,” says Shana Greene, founder and director of Village Volunteers, a Seattle-based organization that partners with rural communities around the world to create environmentally sustainable solutions for hunger and poverty.

Village Volunteers is helping local communities to fight back and turn a potentially devastating situation into a financial boon. (Photo credit: Village Volunteers)

“The shores of Lake Victoria are solid with water hyacinths,” continues Shana, and the invasive plant is having a disastrous effect on the wildlife and people who depend on it for survival. The water hyacinth originated in the Amazon and has rapidly spread through various tropical and sub-tropical regions throughout South America, Africa, and Asia, pushing out indigenous plant and fish. The hyacinth form lush green carpets that warm the water’s temperature while simultaneously reducing sunlight, depleting oxygen levels and blocking access to the shallows, tangling fishing nets and trapping boats. The plants also make an ideal hiding ground for disease carrying snails and poisonous snakes. “Fish are an important source of protein for local communities,” says Shana, “and the warmer water harbors all sorts of diseases, making it less safe for drinking.”

As a result, Village Volunteers is helping local communities to fight back and turn a potentially devastating situation into a financial boon.

“Water hyacinth is actually a really great raw material for so many things,” says Shana. “We are helping communities in Kenya harvest it and use it to create tools to use in the home and to sell. We are using it to make fuel briquettes for cook fires and turning it into a very effective fertilizer.” Village Volunteers is also helping local entrepreneurs produce chairs, baskets, and other pieces of furniture that can be made by weaving together the tough stems and leaves of the hyacinths, as well as biodegradable sanitary napkins.

“The hyacinth invasion is an overwhelming problem,” says Shana, “but it is becoming a business. And by using only locally available materials and labor—oxen help to harvest the hyacinth, for example—the end result is largely self-sustaining.” And while the villages on the shore of the lake can’t eliminate the hyacinth all together, they are clearing it away from the immediate shores, helping to improve the quality of their immediate water supply, as well as habitats for the fish populations they depend on.

“We are helping farmers to not only improve their incomes and livelihoods, but also to make, at least a small difference on their local surroundings. They are turning a devastating situation into a life improving situation.”

To read more about innovations that improve water quality and livelihoods, see: Water Out of Thin Air, Getting Water to Crops, Access to Water Improves Life for Women and Children, Reducing Wastewater Contamination Starts with a Question, ECHOing a Need for Innovations and Using Dirt to Make Water Clean.