Niger Activities

Smart Food is working with the Government of Niger to promote millets to the consumers and chefs, and encourage agribusiness with millets.

First Lady of Niger, Dr Lalla Malika Issoufou, was named as Smart Food Ambassador for her vision and leadership in nutrition and the promotion of traditional food crops such as millet during the 1st Edition FESTIMIL.  Read more

2nd Edition FESTIMIL

Niger  celebrated the second annual International Millet Festival (FESTIMIL) during 3-4 March 2020 at the Academy of Martial Arts in Niamey, Niger.  Organized by the Ministry of Agriculture and Livestock, in partnership with the Tattali Iyali Foundation; the Ministry of Cultural Renaissance, the Ministry of Health, the High Commission for the 3N Initiative, Institut National de la Recherche Agronomique du Niger (INRAN) and ICRISAT, the festival is led by the First Lady, Dr Lalla Malika Issofou, a Smart Food  AmbassadorFESTIMIL 2020 consisted of meetings, demonstrations, culinary workshops, contests and panel discussions led by eminent researchers and millet value chain professionals from Niger and other Sahelian countries. Smart Food Master Classes were also organized for the Presidency and hotel chefs as well as students.

The Smart Food initiative organized two major training courses on various ways of using millets and sorghum.

A Master Class for students of the Institut international des métiers de l’aviation, du tourisme et de l’hôtellerie (IMAT) conducted on 5 March introduced about 35 hotel professionals to millet-based recipes.

Another Smart Food Master Class for about 25 chefs from the Presidency in Niger and Niamey hotels, during which they were introduced to the Smart Food concept and recipes based on millet and sorghum, was held on 7 March. “I am impatient to go back to my hotel to start using millet in the menu,” said Mr Agbakla Kodjo Anani, Chef, Noom Hotel, Niamey, Niger. “The things that I learned during this training are very simple but good and easy to practice. I especially liked the millet ice cream. A very simple way to start diversifying our diet and a modern way of cooking millet,” said Mrs Akilou Haoua, caterer.

Read more

1st Edition FESTIMIL 

Key partner with the Niger government to launch the inaugural National Millet Festival (FESTIMIL) to raise awareness on the importance of millets as part of promoting local products.

Millets are a staple food crop in Niger and particularly in the Sahel region and are consumed by a majority of the population. FESTIMIL brought together the development partners and the international community to support the development of millet value chain in Niger by attracting investments to attain food and nutritional security through millets.

The exhibition also brought together the farmers and consumers and they were sensitized on the nutritional importance of millets in solving malnutrition and anemia. Read more

Smart Food Master Class for Students

ICRISAT partnered with the “Institut International des Métiers de l’Aviation du Tourisme & l’Hotellerie” to provide a Smart Food Master Class to 25 students of this school. Dienaba Traore, culinary blogger and CEO of Gabougouni organized this session and trained the student in both the nutritional aspects and different methods of preparing pearl millet. Read more

Contacts

Ms. Agathe Diama
A.Diama@cgiar.org

  

Latest News and Updates

ICRISAT-AGRA collaborate on drought tolerant crops value chain development

ICRISAT-AGRA collaborate on drought tolerant crops value chain development

EU delegation commends ICRISAT’s work in improving food and nutrition security in Mali

EU delegation commends ICRISAT’s work in improving food and nutrition security in Mali

Regular Millet Consumption May Tackle Iron Deficiency Anemia

Regular Millet Consumption May Tackle Iron Deficiency Anemia

Des repas à base de mil recommandés aux diabétiques

Des repas à base de mil recommandés aux diabétiques

Diabète, le millet très utile pour la glycémie selon une étude

Diabète, le millet très utile pour la glycémie selon une étude

Don seeks increased millets production

Don seeks increased millets production

Burkina Faso releases its first pearl millet hybrid

Burkina Faso releases its first pearl millet hybrid

Expert says nutrition-dense African food must be embraced as ‘good medicine’

Expert says nutrition-dense African food must be embraced as ‘good medicine’

What is fonio? Everything to know about this fluffy, nutty West African grain

What is fonio? Everything to know about this fluffy, nutty West African grain

African countries must embrace the concept of good food as good medicine

African countries must embrace the concept of good food as good medicine

Nigerian sorghum farmers devise coping strategies for post-harvest losses

Nigerian sorghum farmers devise coping strategies for post-harvest losses

Higher quality seeds can help beat Africa’s ‘hunger pandemic’

Higher quality seeds can help beat Africa’s ‘hunger pandemic’

FG, stakeholders synergise to up-scale sorghum production, dominate int’l market

FG, stakeholders synergise to up-scale sorghum production, dominate int’l market

4 incredible health benefits of eating Millet

4 incredible health benefits of eating Millet

The World of Warm Season Annuals: Sorghum, Sudan, Millet, Oh My!

The World of Warm Season Annuals: Sorghum, Sudan, Millet, Oh My!

Is Fonio the Ancient Grain of the Future?

Is Fonio the Ancient Grain of the Future?

Curtailing Protein Deficiency With Protein Complementation

Curtailing Protein Deficiency With Protein Complementation

Malnutrition: A silent pandemic ravaging children

Malnutrition: A silent pandemic ravaging children

Nutritious millet crop could be genetically improved for large-scale agriculture

Nutritious millet crop could be genetically improved for large-scale agriculture

Smart Food Highlights from ICRISAT Annual Report 2019

Smart Food Highlights from ICRISAT Annual Report 2019

‘If we ignore ancestors’ foods, we become someone else’

‘If we ignore ancestors’ foods, we become someone else’

Reshaping Agriculture for Better Nutrition – New Dawn for Millet Crop

Reshaping Agriculture for Better Nutrition – New Dawn for Millet Crop

Driving sustainable growth in Nigeria’s agricultural sector

Driving sustainable growth in Nigeria’s agricultural sector

The Story Behind The Popular Superfood, Quinoa

The Story Behind The Popular Superfood, Quinoa

First Lady of Niger Leads Millet Movement

First Lady of Niger Leads Millet Movement

Nigeria to Begin Export of Sorghum – Crops Institute

Nigeria to Begin Export of Sorghum – Crops Institute

International Millet Festival (FESTIMIL): The 2nd Edition Scheduled For March 3 At ACAM Niamey

International Millet Festival (FESTIMIL): The 2nd Edition Scheduled For March 3 At ACAM Niamey

Putting a smile back on the faces of people experiencing food and nutrition insecurity during the 2019 lean season in Burkina Faso

Putting a smile back on the faces of people experiencing food and nutrition insecurity during the 2019 lean season in Burkina Faso

Superfoods Can’t Save Our Broken System – But Smart Food Can

Superfoods Can’t Save Our Broken System – But Smart Food Can

DryCard tech introduced to help sorghum farmers in Ghana

DryCard tech introduced to help sorghum farmers in Ghana

Indigenous crops enhance food security

Indigenous crops enhance food security

Making Seeds to Withstand Climate Change Is Getting Harder Read more

Making Seeds to Withstand Climate Change Is Getting Harder Read more

In rain-short Niger, wasps deployed in war on crop-munching worm

Government creates food subsidy plan to alleviate hunger in Sudan

Government creates food subsidy plan to alleviate hunger in Sudan

Top 10 food trends for 2020, according to Whole Foods

Top 10 food trends for 2020, according to Whole Foods

ICRISAT ropes in UK varsity for research in genomics & modern breeding of Smart Food crops for health & nutrition.

ICRISAT ropes in UK varsity for research in genomics & modern breeding of Smart Food crops for health & nutrition.

Ancestral wisdom finds a home in modern cooking

Ancestral wisdom finds a home in modern cooking

Combating Desertification and Drought – Burkina Faso: Climate Change Triggers Rural Exodus

Combating Desertification and Drought – Burkina Faso: Climate Change Triggers Rural Exodus

Crop Monitor for Early Warning | November 2019

Crop Monitor for Early Warning | November 2019

Sorghum Flour with High Shelf Life Hits Nigerian Markets

Sorghum Flour with High Shelf Life Hits Nigerian Markets

Mapping millet genetics                          

Mapping millet genetics                         

The key to food security in Africa lies in the treasure trove of global crop biodiversity

The key to food security in Africa lies in the treasure trove of global crop biodiversity

Research work on Naara (Early) and Zea (Late) Millets in Ghana

Research work on Naara (Early) and Zea (Late) Millets in Ghana

National food and nutrition investment in Mali to get a boost

National food and nutrition investment in Mali to get a boost

Government urged to inject additional resources into millet cultivation

Government urged to inject additional resources into millet cultivation

400,000 farmers to go into sorghum production this year

400,000 farmers to go into sorghum production this year

Urban middle class may offer lifeline to rural Africa

Urban middle class may offer lifeline to rural Africa

Mali Price Bulletin, April 2019

Mali Price Bulletin, April 2019

Long rains improve outlook for sorghum farmers, KBL factory

Long rains improve outlook for sorghum farmers, KBL factory

Namibian Farmers Introduced to New Cowpea and Sorghum Crop Varieties

Namibian Farmers Introduced to New Cowpea and Sorghum Crop Varieties

Food Security in the Sahel: TAAT launches out in Mali

Food Security in the Sahel: TAAT launches out in Mali

NESTLE & IFDC TO TRAIN OVER 30,000 NIGERIAN FARMERS ON MILLET AND SORGHUM FARMING SYSTEM

NESTLE & IFDC TO TRAIN OVER 30,000 NIGERIAN FARMERS ON MILLET AND SORGHUM FARMING SYSTEM

119 Organizations Shaking Up the Food System in 2019

119 Organizations Shaking Up the Food System in 2019

Bhungroo to Olla: 5 Simple Ideas That Can Help Farmers Save Water in Summer

Bhungroo to Olla: 5 Simple Ideas That Can Help Farmers Save Water in Summer

Health-Boosting, Climate-Smart Crops Can Help Address Micronutrient Gaps

Health-Boosting, Climate-Smart Crops Can Help Address Micronutrient Gaps

Study shows consumer acceptance to diversify staples with Smart Foods

Study shows consumer acceptance to diversify staples with Smart Foods

Niger government takes higher stand on pearl millet

Niger government takes higher stand on pearl millet

How do we popularise the traditional cereals? : Dialogue with Smart Food Ambassadors

How do we popularise the traditional cereals? : Dialogue with Smart Food Ambassadors

Sehgal Foundation and Smart Food align to intensify efforts

Sehgal Foundation and Smart Food align to intensify efforts

Africa and Asia come together to lead a global initiative to diversify staples

Africa and Asia come together to lead a global initiative to diversify staples

Collaborating with celebrity chefs in London, Paris and West Africa

Collaborating with celebrity chefs in London, Paris and West Africa

Building culinary skills with a wide range of activities across West and Central Africa

Building culinary skills with a wide range of activities across West and Central Africa

Sorghum: Africa’s untapped commercial agricultural potential

Sorghum: Africa’s untapped commercial agricultural potential

How one tough shrub could help fight hunger in Africa

How one tough shrub could help fight hunger in Africa

Sorghum – a new hope in dry times

Sorghum – a new hope in dry times

The Tale of Mighty Millet for a Mighty People

The Tale of Mighty Millet for a Mighty People

Facebook
Twitter
YouTube
Instagram