REVIVING KODO-THE RESILIENT GRAIN OF THE FUTURE
"REVIVING KODO-THE RESILIENT GRAIN OF THE FUTURE" Communities in South Asia and Africa have been fed on finger millet for many generations. Long before contemporary crops like rice and wheat took over the fields, farmers relied on this small grain, which is well-known for its high calcium, iron, and fiber content. However, kodo was eventually forgotten as commercial crops with higher yields took its place. Today, farmers and academics are returning to kodo as climate change threatens the world's food supply. Where other crops fail, it flourishes in hot and dry conditions, grows in poor soils, and requires minimal water. This picture essay honors the farmers who are preserving this underappreciated grain for upcoming generations as well as the resurgence of kodo from seed to plate. Fig. Fingermillet 1. The Forgotten Fields Finger millet was once referred to as a "poor man's crop" and has long been grown in arid, upland regions where other grains cannot thriv...