Dr Haile-Gabriel said local crops like fonio were not only rich in nutrients but also adapted to the climate conditions in Africa.

Fonio is a nutrient-packed type of millet from West Africa known for its ability to thrive in harsh climates.

In Northern Ghana, it is predominantly grown by women.

The FAO Representative said this in Accra at a media briefing on activities to mark this year's World Food Day, which falls on October 16.

The event is on the theme: "The right to food for a better life and a better future."
The theme, he stated, was timely because food, a basic human right like the right to air and water, could not be ignored. The right to food is more than just access to enough food to survive. It's about ensuring that everyone has access to a diverse, healthy, and nutritious diet.

He said the theme recognised that for food systems to be truly equitable, FAO must go beyond quantity and also address quality and diversity considerations.

"Many of these local crops are underutilised and even forgotten in favour of imported crops such as rice, wheat, and corn, among others. Africa is home to a rich wealth of biodiversity, including local crops.
Fonio, for example, can grow in very tough conditions with little water."

FAO is advocating for the development of these local crop value chains to ensure they play a bigger role in Africa's food systems," he said.

These crops, Dr Haile-Gabriel stressed, were part of the solution to food security and nutrition, and their cultivation contributed to both biodiversity and the right to food.

The FAO in 2024 published a compendium of which more than 100 of Africa's crops were forgotten and underutilised.

The FAO of the United Nations and Chef Fatmata Binta, with the support of Ghana's Ministry of Food and Agriculture, have trained women fonio farmers on good agricultural practices to address the challenges of low yields and the labour-intensive nature of traditional food production methods.

The collaborative effort is to bolster food security and enhance the resilience of agrifood systems in Ghana. Chef Binta will be at the FAO Headquarters in Rome on October 16 to take part in the global celebration of World Food Day.

He called on the media to continue to raise awareness about the importance of diverse diets and local food systems. "By reporting on these issues, you contribute to the collective effort of ensuring that the right to food becomes a reality for everyone, not just a privileged few," he said.

He called on stakeholders to renew their commitment to build more efficient, inclusive, resilient, and sustainable agri- food systems that honoured everyone's right to varied and nutritious foods.