Fonio

Context

Among traditional cereals, fonio (Digitaria exilis, fig.1), is considered as the most ancient indigenous West African cereal. In a vast area extending from Senegal to Chad, Fonio supplies, to several million people, food early in the growing season. Thus fonio consumption could be considered as one of the copping strategies for increasing household food security.

To increase of fonio valorization, European Union financed an international research project ( INCO) under the 6th European Union Programme (FP6) and in the framework of the 2004 call dealing with food security on “Bio-diverse, bio-safe and value added crops” priority area.

The FONIO project ( http://inco-fonio-en.cirad.fr/), coordinated by Cirad, involves interdisciplinary research teams from 3 European countries (France, Netherlands and Belgium) and 4 West African countries (Mali, Guinea, Burkina Faso and Senegal).

Objectives

The overall objective of this project is to improve quality and diversity of the fonio products to increase their exportation potential and, in this way, producers and processors incomes. To reach such a target, it is necessary to enhance local competitiveness of fonio by increasing the productivity of the commodity chain at different levels (adapted varieties, appropriated production and farming systems, innovation in post-harvest mechanisation,…).

The main objective of Work package 6, within which CRA-W was involved, is to define methods to improve fonio cropping system productivity.

Results obtained

In order to improve fonio productivity, the CRA-W has contributed to the exploration of two main axes. (1) Description of variety diversity existing in physiological (cycle length, ..), morphological, biochemical and agronomical terms. (2) The study of fonio response to low to moderate levels of macro-nutrients.So, the agronomical and biochemical performances of 13 varieties; more cultivars in reality; were evaluated and compared in 4 sites in 2007 (2 sites in Mali and 2 sites in Guinea) and, for 9 of these cultivars, in the two Guinean sites in 2006. These sites covered a wide diversity of soil and cliate conditions with precipitation levels ranged between less than 700 to more than 1500 mm/year.2006 yields were closed from 800 kg of grain per ha. In 2007, average yields were of 300 to 400 kg/ha in Malian sites against 900 kg in Bordo (High Guinea) and 1160 kg/ha in Bareng (Medium Guinea). We observe a significant interaction between the ‘site’ and the ‘variety’ factors : intermediate and late heading varieties didi not reach their maturity in Malian sites. Nevertheless, even in Guinea, their country of origin, late heading varieties gave lower yields than early heading ones’. So, how to explain the development of these varieties in their village of origin ? In reality, In these villages, late heading varieties allow to synchronise maturation period and climatic conditions allowing the harvest and conservation of the fonio.In order to qualify fonio varieties, in terms of biochemical composition, adapted NIRS calibrations were developed. In parallel to these multilocal trials, a catalogue including the description of 38 varieties/cultivars collected in Guinea, Mali and Burkina Faso was set up. To do so and to allow their comparison all these varieties were sown on a same site in 2007 and 2008. The study of fonio’s response to a low application of macro-nutrients was performed, in 2007, in three sites : two in Guinea and one in Mali. The three macro-nutrients taken into account are the N, P and K with levels of 0, 15 and 30 units/ha. On this basis, 27 NPK combinations have been compared. From these trials, we can underlined the positive response of fonio to N supply if nor water neither other nutrient are limiting. So, without the support of soil analysis, it is more interesting to apply a low level of all the macro-nutrients than a huge amont of one of them. Moreover, these levels must be moderarted in area with low production potential due to water stress. A N supply, without any other mineral fertilisers, is only of interrest if another source of P and K, such as some manure or compost, is available.

Contribution

CRA-W is responsible of the coordination of the Work Package 6 : Improving knowledge on fonio based cropping systems and ways for improving productivity. It is also involved in Work Package 5 : Opportunities for diversification and multipurpose uses of fonio in crop-livestock farming systems.