A forgotten ancient grain that could help Africa prosper | Pierre Thiam

翻译人员: Jiawei Ni 校对人员: Josephine Chau

I was born and raised in Dakar, Senegal,

我在塞内加尔的达喀尔（塞内加尔首都） 出生和长大，

and through a combination of accidents and cosmic justice,

经过了许多意外与宇宙正义，

became a chef in the US.

我在美国成了一名主厨。

(Laughter)

（笑声）

When I first arrived in New York,

当我初次抵达纽约时，

I began working in these restaurants -- different types of restaurants --

我开始在一些餐厅工作，

from French bistro to Italian,

从法国小酒馆到意大利餐馆，

global ethnic to modern American.

从全球民族餐厅到现代美式餐厅。

At the time,

那时，

New York was already well-established as a food capital of the world.

纽约已经成为了世界的食物首都。

However ...

然而，

with the exception of a few West African and Ethiopian mom-and-pop eateries,

除了少数西非和埃塞俄比亚 的小型饭馆之外，

there was no such thing as African cuisine in the entire city.

在整个城市中并没有所谓的非洲菜。

Early in my life,

在我人生的前期，

I was influenced by Senegal's first president,

我深受塞内加尔第一任总统

Léopold Sédar Senghor,

利奥波德·塞达尔·桑戈尔的影响，

nicknamed, "the poet president,"

他的绰号叫“诗人总统”，

who talked about a new humanism,

他谈到了新人文主义，

a universal civilization,

一种普适文明，

in which all cultures would come together around a communal table as equals,

在这种文明中，所有文化能围绕着 一张共有的桌子平等而坐，

each bringing its own beautiful contribution to share.

每个文化分享着它自己的美丽贡献。

He called it "the rendezvous of giving and receiving."

他称之为 “给与得的聚会”。

That concept resonated with me,

这一概念让我产生了共鸣，

and it has guided my career path.

一直引导着我职业生涯的道路。

After years of working in restaurants,

在餐厅工作多年之后，

I yearned for my work to have a deeper impact

我很渴望能做具有 更深刻影响力的工作，

that would go beyond the last meal I had served.

影响力能超越我端过的上一道菜。

I wanted to give back, both to New York --

我想要回馈纽约——

the city that allowed me the opportunity to follow my calling --

这个帮助我追随使命的城市，

but also to my origins and ancestors in Senegal.

也要回馈我在塞内加尔的祖先。

I wanted to contribute to that universal civilization

我想要为桑戈尔所描述的全体文明

Senghor had described.

贡献自己的力量。

But I didn't know how to make a measurable impact

但我不知道身为厨师及作家，

as a cook and writer.

要如何做出可评估的影响。

While I was writing my first cookbook,

当我在撰写我的第一本食谱时，

I often traveled to different regions of Senegal for research.

我常前往塞内加尔的 不同地区去做研究。

During one of those trips,

有一次，

in the remote, southeast region of Kédougou

我前往了凯杜古 东南方的偏远地区，

I rediscovered an ancient grain called fonio

重新发现了一种古代谷物， 叫做非洲全小米（fonio），

that had all but disappeared from the urban Senegalese diet.

它几乎从塞内加尔 城市居民的饮食中消失了。

It turns out that fonio had been cultivated

事实上，非洲全小米已经被播种了

for more than five thousand years

超过五千年，

and is probably the oldest cultivated cereal in Africa.

可能是非洲最古老的农耕谷类植物。

Once a popular grain on much of the continent,

它曾经是这块大陆上 大部分地方的热门谷物，

fonio was grown all the way to ancient Egypt,

曾经被一路种植到古埃及，

where archaeologists found grains inside pyramids' burial grounds.

考古学家在古埃及的金字塔中 发现有谷物被埋在地下。

Today it is mostly cultivated in the western part of the Sahel region,

现今，它大多被种植在 萨赫勒地区的西部，

from Senegal to Mali,

从塞内加尔到马里，

Burkina Faso,

布基纳法索，

Togo, Nigeria.

多哥，再到尼日利亚。

The Sahel region is that semiarid area south of the Sahara desert

萨赫勒地区是半干旱的区域， 位于撒哈拉沙漠以南，

that extends from the Atlantic in the west to the Red Sea in the east.

从西边的太西洋延伸到东边的红海。

I became more interested in this grain

我对这种谷物变得更感兴趣了，

that was deemed worth taking to the afterlife by early Egyptians.

古埃及人认为它是值得带到来世的。

As I continued my research,

随着我继续进行研究，

I found out that fonio was actually --

我发现非洲全小米——

wherever it was cultivated --

不论它被种植在哪里——

there was always some myth, or some superstition connected to it.

总是与某种神话或是迷信有所关联。

The Dogon,

多贡，

another great culture in Mali,

马里的另一个伟大文化，

called it "po,"

称它为 “po” ，

or, "the seed of the universe."

意思是 “宇宙的种子”。

In that ancient culture's mythology,

在古文化的神话中，

the entire universe sprouted from a seed of fonio.

整个宇宙是从一颗 非洲全小米种子萌生出来的。

Aside from its purported mystical properties,

除了传说的神奇特性之外，

fonio is a miracle grain in many aspects.

非洲全小米在许多层面上 也是一种奇迹般的谷物。

It is nutritious,

它很有营养，

particularly rich in methionine and cysteine,

富含甲硫胺酸与半胱胺酸，

two amino acids that are deficient in most other major grains:

而大部份的主要谷物 都缺少这两种胺基酸，

barley, rice or wheat to name a few.

比如大麦、米、小麦。

In addition,

此外，

fonio cultivation is great for the environment.

耕种非洲全小米对环境有益。

It tolerates poor soil

它能在贫脊的土壤中生长，

and needs very little water,

需要的水也非常少，

surviving where nothing else will grow.

能在其他植物 无法存活的地方生存。

As a chef,

身为一名主厨，

what first struck me was its delicate taste and its versatility.

首先引起我注意的是 它的细致口味以及多样性。

Similar to couscous,

和非洲古斯米类似，

fonio has a delicious, nutty and earthy flavor.

非洲全小米的味道很可口、 有坚果味及土壤味。

It can be turned into salad,

它可以用来做沙拉，

served as noodles,

做面条，

used in baking

用来烘焙，

or simply as a substitute for any other grains in your favorite recipes.

或是很单纯地用来取代 你最爱的食谱中的其他谷物。

I am happy to share some of my fonio sushi and sweet potato sushi

我很高兴现在能与各位分享 我的一些非洲全小米寿司

with some of you right now.

以及甘薯寿司。

(Audience) Oh!

（观众）哇！

(Applause)

（掌声）

And okra.

还有秋葵。

(Audience murmurs)

（观众低语）

In Kédougou

在凯杜古，

it is also nicknamed "ñamu buur,"

它还有个昵称叫 “ñamu buur”，

which means "food for royalty,"

意思是 “皇室食物”，

and it's served for guests of honor.

它是为贵宾所准备的。

Located at the border with Guinea and Mali,

凯杜古位于几内亚和马里的边界，

Kédougou first strikes visitors with its stunning vistas

它给访客的第一印象是绝色美景

and views of the Fouta Djallon Mountains.

以及富塔贾隆山脉的景观。

Sadly, it is also one of the poorest regions of Senegal.

令人难过的是，它也是 塞内加尔最贫穷的地区之一。

Because of desertification and lack of job prospects,

因为沙漠化以及缺乏就业前景，

much of Kédougou's young population has left.

凯杜古大部份的年轻人都离开了。

They chose the deadly path of migration

他们选择踏上这条死亡之路，

in search of "better" opportunities.

为了寻求“更好”的机会。

Often,

通常，

they risk their lives trying to reach Europe.

他们冒着生命危险试图前往欧洲。

Some leave by crossing the Sahara desert.

有些人穿越撒哈拉沙漠离开，

Others end up on inadequate wooden canoes

其他人则乘着危险的独木舟，

in desperate attempts to reach Spain.

孤注一掷试图前往西班牙。

According to a recent "Guardian" article,

根据近期 《卫报》的一篇文章，

by 2020 more that 60 million people from sub-Saharan Africa

到 2020 年，撒哈拉以南的 非洲预期会有六千万人

are expected to migrate

因为沙漠化

due to desertification.

而举家迁移。

This is the biggest global wave of migration since the Second World War,

这是第二次世界大战之后 最大一波的全球迁涉，

and it's only set to grow.

且它的规模只增不减。

So far this year,

今年，目前为止，

more that 2,100 migrants have lost their lives

已经有超过 2100 名迁涉者

on their way to Europe.

在前往欧洲的路上丧命。

This is the reality of Kédougou

这就是凯杜古的现实，

and of much of the Sahel today.

萨赫勒大部分地区 如今情况也不容乐观。

Scary future,

令人害怕的未来，

scarce food

短缺的食物，

and no opportunities to change their situation.

且没有机会能改变他们的状况。

If life in your village weren't so precarious,

如果你村子中的生活是这么不安稳，

if there was a way to having enough food to get by,

如果有方法可以得到 足够生存下去的食物，

or having a paying job --

或是找到一份有报酬的工作──

if you and your sisters

如果你和你的姐妹

didn't have to spend 30 percent of their waking hours

不需要把 30% 醒着的时间

fetching water,

花在取水上，

if conditions were just a little more hospitable ...

如果条件只要能稍微好一点点……

could the solution be right here in our soil?

有没有可能解决方案 就在我们的土壤中？

Could bringing fonio to the rest of the world

有没有可能把非洲全小米 带给全世界，

be the answer?

就是我们在找的答案？

Ancient grains are getting more popular,

古老的谷物越来越热门，

and sales of gluten-free items are growing in the US --

无麸质的东西在美国越卖越好──

16.4 percent since 2013,

2013 年的销售额占市场的 16.4%，

making it a 23.3-billion-dollar industry.

让它成为了一个 233 亿美元的产业。

How could fonio partake in this market share?

非洲全小米要如何参与这个市场？

There are many challenges in turning fonio into food.

要把非洲全小米转为 食物，有许多挑战。

Traditional processing is laborious and time-consuming,

传统加工要耗很多人力和时间，

especially when compared to other grains.

相较于其他谷物更是劣势。

Well, thankfully, technology has evolved.

谢天谢地，科技进化了。

And there are now machines

现在有机器

that can process fonio in a more efficient way.

可以用更高率方式 来做非洲全小米加工。

And as a matter of fact,

事实上，

a few years ago,

几年前，

Sanoussi Diakité,

山诺西·迪亚基泰，

a Senegalese engineer,

一位塞内加尔的工程师，

won a Rolex prize

赢得了劳力士奖，

for his invention of the first mechanized fonio processor.

得奖作品是他发明的第一台 机械化非洲全小米加工机。

Today, such machines are making life much easier for producers

现今，这类机器让整个 塞内加尔地区的生产者

around the whole Sahel region.

轻松了许多。

Another challenge is the colonial mentality

另一个挑战是殖民心理，

that what comes from the west is best.

觉得来自西方的才是最好的。

This tendency to look down on our own products

这种看轻我们自己产品的倾向，

and to see crops like fonio as simply "country peoples' food,"

只将非洲全小米这类作物 视为“乡下人的食物”，

therefore substandard,

觉得它不够格的倾向，

explains why even though we don't produce wheat in Senegal traditionally,

说明了为什么虽然 塞内加尔传统不产小麦，

it is far easier to find baguettes or croissants in the streets of Dakar

在达喀尔街头，要找到法式面包 或可颂，远比找到任何

than it is to find any fonio products.

非洲全小米产品要容易许多。

This same mindset popularized the overprocessed, leftover rice debris

同样的心态导致过度加工剩余的 稻米残碎变得很普遍，

known as "broken rice,"

这些残渣被称为“坏掉的稻米”。

which was imported to Senegal from Indochina

它们是由法国人从中南半岛

and introduced by the colonial French.

进口到塞内加尔的。

Soon, broken rice became a key ingredient in our national dish,

没多久，坏掉的稻米就成了 我们国家菜肴

thiéboudienne,

“鱼肉炖饭”的主要成份，

replacing our own traditional, more nutritious African rice,

取代了我们自己传统的 营养非洲稻米，

Oryza glaberrima.

非洲稻。

Ironically, the same African rice despised at home

讽刺的是，在家乡 被鄙视的非洲稻米，

was hailed abroad.

却在国外受到欢迎。

Indeed, during the Atlantic slave trade,

的确，在跨大西洋奴隶贸易时，

this rice became a major crop in the Americas ...

这种稻米变成了美洲的主要作物，

particularly in the Carolinas

特别是在卡罗莱纳州，

where it was nicknamed, "Carolina gold."

在那里，它的昵称是 “卡罗莱纳黄金”。

But let's return to fonio.

回到非洲全小米。

How can we turn its current status of "country-people food"

我们要如何把它目前 “乡下人的食物”的身份，

into a world-class crop?

转变成世界级的作物？

Last year,

去年，

a business partner and I secured a commitment from Whole Foods Market,

我和一个商业伙伴得到了 美国最大的天然食物连锁店

the US's largest natural food store chain,

全食（Whole Foods）超市 的承诺，它们会销售

to carry fonio.

非洲全小米。

And we got a large American ingredient importer

我们也吸引了一家 大型美国原料进口商，

interested enough to send a team of executives

愿意派一个主管团队与我们

to West Africa with us

一起到西非，

to explore the supply chain's viability.

来评估供应链的可行性。

We found ourselves observing manual operations

我们在偏远地区看到的是

in remote locations

落后的人工作业，

with few controls over quality.

和严重缺乏的产品监管。

So we started focusing on processing issues.

所以我们开始把焦点放在 加工处理的议题上。

We drew up a vision

我们拟了一个想法，

with a beneficial and commercially sustainable supply chain for fonio,

内容包括了一个有利可图， 且有商业永续性的非洲全小米供应链，

and we connected ourselves with organizations

我们与能协助我们达成这个

that can help us achieve it.

想法的组织建立了联系。

Walking backwards from the market, here is what it looks like.

从市场走回来， 看起来是这个样子的。

Imagine that fonio is consumed all across the globe

想象非洲全小米在全球 都像其他热门

as other popular ancient grains.

古老谷物一样地被消费。

Fonio touted on the levels of cereals,

非洲全小米被贩售的层级提高到

breads,

如谷类加工食品、面包、

nutrition bars,

营养棒、

cookies, pastas,

饼干、意大利面、

snacks -- why not?

零食——为什么不呢？

It's easier to say than quinoa.

这比藜麦还容易发音。

(Laughter)

（笑声）

(Applause)

（掌声）

To get there,

为了实现这个目的，

fonio needs to be readily available

非洲全小米需要准备好能够以

at a consistent quality for commercial users,

一致的品质供应给商业使用者，

such as food manufacturers and restaurant chains.

比如食品制造商、连锁餐厅。

That's the part we're missing.

那是我们缺少的部份。

To make fonio available at a consistent quality

要让非洲全小米能够以一致的品质

for commercial use,

供商业使用，

you need a commercial-scale fonio mill

你就需要一个商业规模的 非洲全小米磨坊，

that adheres to international quality standards.

它要能遵守国际品质标准。

Currently, there is no such mill in the whole world,

目前，全世界并没有这样的磨坊。

so in our vision,

所以，在我们的愿景中，

there is an African-owned and operated fonio mill

有一间非洲自有并经营的 非洲全小米磨坊，

that processes efficiently

能高效地加工，

and in compliance with the requirements of multinational food companies.

并且符合多国食物公司的要求。

It is very difficult for the fonio producers today

现今，非洲全小米制造商很难去

to sell and use fonio

销售和使用非洲全小米，

unless they devote a huge amount of time and energy

除非他们投入大量的时间和精力，

in threshing, winnowing and husking it.

去打谷、簸选、除去外壳。

In our vision,

在我们的愿景中，

the mill will take on those tasks,

磨坊会接手这些工作，

allowing the producers to focus on farming rather than processing.

让制造商能专注在 种植而非加工环节。

There is untapped agricultural capacity in the Sahel,

萨赫勒还有未被 开发利用的农业能力，

and all it takes is changing market conditions

需要做的只是改变市场条件，

to activate that capacity.

来启动那种能力。

By relieving fonio producers of manual operations,

透过把非洲全小米制造商 从人工作业中解放出来，

the mill will free up their time

磨坊能将这部分时间节省出来，

and remove the production bottleneck that limits their output.

也能除去限制他们产出的瓶颈。

And there are other benefits as well

用萨赫勒的土地来进行农业生产

in using Sahel land for agriculture.

还有其他的益处。

More benefits,

更多的福利，

higher employment,

更高的就业率，

climate change mitigation by reversing desertification

透过逆转沙漠化来缓和气候变迁，

and greater food security.

食物安全也更有保障。

Nice vision, right?

很好的愿景，对吧？

Well, we are working towards getting it done.

我们正在努力实现它。

Last month we introduced fonio to shoppers in New York City

上个月，我们向纽约市的 顾客介绍了非洲全小米，

and online,

在线上，

in a package that makes it attractive and desirable and accessible.

我们设计的包装让它 更有吸引力、更容易取得。

(Applause)

（掌声）

We are talking with operators and investors in West Africa

我们正在和西非 的从业者和投资者洽谈，

about building a fonio mill.

希望能建立非洲全小米磨坊。

And most importantly,

最重要的是，

we have teamed with an NGO called SOS SAHEL

我们与非政府组织 SOS SAHEL 合作，

to recruit, train and equip smallholders in the Sahel

来征召、训练萨赫勒的小农 并提供装备给他们，

to increase their fonio production.

来增加他们的非洲全小米产量。

Hunger levels are higher in sub-Saharan Africa

在撒哈拉以南非洲，饥饿的问题

than any other place in the world.

比世界其他地方都严重。

The Sahel population is set to grow

预期萨赫勒的人口还会增加，

from 135 million to 340 million people.

从 1 亿 3 千 5 百万人 增长到 3 亿 4 千万人。

However, in that drought- and famine-prone region,

然而，在有干旱及 饥荒倾向的地区，

fonio grows freely.

非洲全小米能自由生长。

This tiny grain may provide big answers,

这微小的谷物可能 可以提供巨大的答案，

reasserting its Dogon name,

再次证明它的多贡名称：

"po," the seed of the universe,

“po”，宇宙的种子，

and taking us one step closer

让我们向着宇宙文明

to the universal civilization.

更前进一点。

Thank you.

谢谢。

(Applause)

（掌声）