Page 62 - Msingi Afrika Magazine Issue 23

Food health
Food health

THE “LOST”

GRAINS OF AFRICA

WHY WE NEED THEM NOW

Chioma Phillips

very region of the world has their unique food crops and food systems that are uniquely tailored to
E their nutritional needs, health and well-being and Africa is not exempted. So, in this article, I will
be looking at some of the lost grains of Africa. I cannot stress enough that we need to start eating our
indigenous food crops again and also protect them from the hands of the people who are poisoning the
world through monster foods and agrochemical-based farming practices.

The African rice that much of the southern managed, prepared, and eaten
Most people think of rice as US State of South Carolina differently. Some mature
an exclusively Asian crop, but was once covered in fields of quickly and will fit into seasons

farmers have grown native rice African rice, brought over by and situations where other
(Oryza glaberrima) in parts of the Africans who were stolen cereals fail. The grain is much
West Africa for at least 1,500 from Africa and brought to like common rice, although the

years. The fact is that there are America as slaves? Or that it husk around it is usually red.
only two species of rice in the was first cultivated in Mali This plant not only has promise
world, Asian (Oryza sativa) and several thousand years ago? in its own right, but its genes
African (Oryza glaberrima). might also eventually benefit
This crop comes in a wealth of the production of common rice

Did you know, for example, different types that are planted, worldwide.

62 | w e t ell the true afrik an s t or y
62
| we tell the true afrikan story