Africa is looking to indigenous crops to tackle a worsening food crisis after Russia’s invasion of Ukraine boosted the price of imported wheat. Alternatives such as cassava, fonio and teff could help plug the gap, alongside increasing the output of hardier strains of wheat. African food import bills have soared as global prices trade near a record high after Russia’s invasion sharply reduced Ukraine’s exports of grain. In Mali, Yolélé Foods — co-founded by New York-based Senegalese chef Pierre Thiam and Philip Teverow — is investing in a factory to process fonio, a protein-rich grain grown in West Africa. Psaltry International processes about 400 tonnes of cassava tubers daily in Nigeria’s southwest for major food and beverage companies.

Source: Ethiopian News June 25, 2022 10:06 UTC