🎧 Treaty Talks: Ancient Grains, Plant Diversity and Sustainable Agriculture
Join me in a special series I did in collaboration with the International Treaty on Plant Genetic Resources for Food and Agriculture (United Nations FAO).
The next episode has a slightly different set-up from what you may be used to when listening to Foodie Pharmacology. This interview is part of a series that I did in collaboration with the International Treaty on Plant Genetic Resources for Food and Agriculture. In this series, I talk to different experts about the trends they observe in plants that are important to our agriculture, diets and health.
Episode Description
In this episode of the Foodie Pharmacology podcast, hosted by Dr. Cassandra Quave in collaboration with the International Treaty on Plant Genetic Resources for Food and Agriculture, we meet Sierra Leonean Chef Fatmata Binta. From her nomadic restaurant, Dine on Mats, she advocates for plant diversity, highlighting the importance of overlooked ingredients in food and culture. She emphasizes the importance of collaboration with farmers growing ancient grains, particularly as a sustainable and nourishing food source. She focuses on the role of millet and fonio, including their agricultural benefits like making the land drought-resilient and being able to harvest in a short period, as well their nutritional value being gluten-free and high in fiber. Chef Binta stresses the importance of education about these grains, as they not only provide healthful meal options but also have the potential to address broader issues like food security and climate change.
Resources
International Plant Treaty: https://www.fao.org/plant-treaty/en/
Study and database “The plants that feed the world”: https://www.fao.org/plant-treaty/areas-of-work/the-multilateral-system/plant_genetic_metrics
Fulani Kitchen Foundation, by Chef Fatmata Binta:
Dine on a Mat, by Chef Fatmata Binta:
Presenter: Cassandra Quave
Producer: Hedwig de Coo
Sound: Gijs de Bakker
Listen to the interview
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Watch the video
Available exclusively on the Teach Ethnobotany YouTube Channel, you can catch the full video version of this episode and others! Enjoy!
Yours in health, Dr. Quave
Cassandra L. Quave, Ph.D. is a scientist, author, speaker, podcast host, wife, mother, explorer, and professor at Emory University School of Medicine. She teaches college courses and leads a group of research scientists studying medicinal plants to find new life-saving drugs from nature. She hosts the Foodie Pharmacology podcast and writes the Nature’s Pharmacy newsletter to share the science behind natural medicines. To support her effort, consider a paid or founding subscription, with founding members receiving an autographed 1st edition hardcover copy of her book, The Plant Hunter.
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