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

譯者: Lilian Chiu 審譯者: Jack Zhang

I was born and raised in Dakar, Senegal,

我在塞內加爾的達卡出生和長大，

and through a combination of accidents and cosmic justice,

經過了許多意外與宇宙正義的結合，

became a chef in the US.

我在美國成了一名主廚。

(Laughter)

（笑聲）

When I first arrived in New York,

當我初次抵達紐約時，

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

我開始在一些餐廳工作， 各種不同的餐廳，

from French bistro to Italian,

從法國小酒館到義大利餐館，

global ethnic to modern American.

從全球民族餐廳到現代美式餐廳。

At the time,

那時，

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

紐約已經成為了世界的食物首都。

However ...

然而，

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

除了少數西非和衣索比亞的 小型飯館之外，

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

在整個城市中並沒有所謂的非洲菜。

Early in my life,

在我人生的前期，

I was influenced by Senegal's first president,

我受到塞內加爾第一任總統

Léopold Sédar Senghor,

利奧波德·塞達爾·桑戈爾的影響，

nicknamed, "the poet president,"

他的綽號叫「詩人總統」，

who talked about a new humanism,

他談到新人文主義，

a universal civilization,

全體的文明，

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

在這種文明中，所有文化能平等地 圍繞著一張共有的桌子而坐，

each bringing its own beautiful contribution to share.

每個文化帶著它自己的 美麗貢獻來分享。

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

他稱之為「施與受的幽會」。

That concept resonated with me,

那概念讓我產生了共鳴，

and it has guided my career path.

它一直引導著我職涯的道路。

After years of working in restaurants,

在餐廳工作多年之後，

I yearned for my work to have a deeper impact

我很渴望能做具有 更深刻影響力的工作，

that would go beyond the last meal I had served.

影響力能超過我端上的上一道菜。

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

我想要回饋，回饋給紐約，

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

提供我機會讓我能追隨使命的城市，

but also to my origins and ancestors in Senegal.

也回饋給我在 塞內加爾的根源及祖先。

I wanted to contribute to that universal civilization

我想要對桑戈爾所描述的全體文明

Senghor had described.

做出貢獻。

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

但我不知道身為廚師及作家，

as a cook and writer.

要如何做出重大影響。

While I was writing my first cookbook,

當我正在撰寫我的第一本食譜時，

I often traveled to different regions of Senegal for research.

我常旅行到塞內加爾的 不同地區去做研究。

During one of those trips,

在那些旅程當中，有一次，

in the remote, southeast region of Kédougou

是前往凱杜古東南方的偏遠地區，

I rediscovered an ancient grain called fonio

我重新發現了一種古早穀物， 叫做非洲全小米，

that had all but disappeared from the urban Senegalese diet.

它什麼都有，但卻從都市的 塞內加爾飲食中消失了。

It turns out that fonio had been cultivated

結果，非洲全小米已經被耕作了

for more than five thousand years

超過五千年，

and is probably the oldest cultivated cereal in Africa.

可能是非洲最古老的農耕穀類植物。

Once a popular grain on much of the continent,

它曾經是這塊大陸上 大部份地方的熱門穀物，

fonio was grown all the way to ancient Egypt,

被一路種植到古埃及，

where archaeologists found grains inside pyramids' burial grounds.

考古學家在古埃及的金字塔中 發現有穀物被埋在地下。

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

現今，它大多被種植在 薩赫爾地區的西部，

from Senegal to Mali,

從塞內加爾到馬利、

Burkina Faso,

布吉納法索、

Togo, Nigeria.

多哥、奈及利亞。

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

薩赫爾地區是半乾旱的區域， 在撒哈拉沙漠南邊，

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

從西邊的太西洋延伸到東邊的紅海。

I became more interested in this grain

我對這種穀物變得更感興趣了，

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

古埃及人認為它是值得帶到來世的。

As I continued my research,

隨著我繼續進行研究，

I found out that fonio was actually --

我發現非洲全小米其實

wherever it was cultivated --

──不論它被種在哪裡──

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

總是與某種神話或是迷信有所連結。

The Dogon,

多貢，

another great culture in Mali,

馬利的另一個偉大文化，

called it "po,"

稱它為「po」，

or, "the seed of the universe."

意思是「宇宙的種子」。

In that ancient culture's mythology,

在古文化的神話中，

the entire universe sprouted from a seed of fonio.

整個宇宙是從一顆 非洲全小米種子萌生出來的。

Aside from its purported mystical properties,

除了傳說神秘特性之外，

fonio is a miracle grain in many aspects.

非洲全小米在許多層面上 也是種奇蹟穀物。

It is nutritious,

它很有營養，

particularly rich in methionine and cysteine,

特別富含甲硫胺酸與半胱胺酸，

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

大部份的主要穀物 都缺少這兩種胺基酸：

barley, rice or wheat to name a few.

大麥、米、小麥是其中幾個例子。

In addition,

此外，

fonio cultivation is great for the environment.

耕種非洲全小米對環境有益。

It tolerates poor soil

它能容忍貧脊土壤，

and needs very little water,

需要的水也非常少，

surviving where nothing else will grow.

能在沒有其他植物 能存活的地方生存。

As a chef,

身為一名主廚，

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

首先引起我注意的是 它的細緻口味以及多變性。

Similar to couscous,

和非洲古斯米類似，

fonio has a delicious, nutty and earthy flavor.

非洲全小米的味道很可口、 有堅果味及土味。

It can be turned into salad,

它可以用來做沙拉、

served as noodles,

做麵條、

used in baking

用來烘焙、

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

或是很單純地用來取代 你最愛的食譜中的其他穀物。

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

我很高興現在能與各位分享 我的一些非洲全小米壽司

以及甘薯壽司。

with some of you right now.

(Audience) Oh!

（觀眾）喔！

(Applause)

（掌聲）

And okra.

還有秋葵。

(Audience murmurs)

（觀眾低語）

In Kédougou

在凱杜古，

it is also nicknamed "ñamu buur,"

它還有個暱稱叫「ñamu buur」，

which means "food for royalty,"

意思是「皇室食物」，

and it's served for guests of honor.

它是為貴賓所準備的。

Located at the border with Guinea and Mali,

凱杜古位在幾內亞和馬利的邊界，

Kédougou first strikes visitors with its stunning vistas

它給訪客的第一印象是絕色美景

and views of the Fouta Djallon Mountains.

以及富塔賈隆山脈的景觀。

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

令人難過的是，它也是 塞內加爾最貧窮的地區之一。

Because of desertification and lack of job prospects,

因為沙漠化以及缺乏工作遠景，

much of Kédougou's young population has left.

凱杜古大部份的人口都離開了。

They chose the deadly path of migration

他們選擇遷涉這條死亡之路，

in search of "better" opportunities.

為了尋求「更好」的機會。

Often,

通常，

they risk their lives trying to reach Europe.

他們冒著生命危險試圖前往歐洲。

Some leave by crossing the Sahara desert.

有些人是穿越撒哈拉沙漠離開，

Others end up on inadequate wooden canoes

其他人則是靠著很不適合的獨木舟，

in desperate attempts to reach Spain.

孤注一擲試圖前往西班牙。

According to a recent "Guardian" article,

根據近期「衛報」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 非洲預期會有六千萬人

are expected to migrate

因為沙漠化而遷涉。

due to desertification.

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

這是第二次世界大戰之後 最大一波的全球遷涉，

and it's only set to grow.

且它只會增不會減。

So far this year,

今年目前，

more that 2,100 migrants have lost their lives

超過 2,100 名遷涉者

在前往歐洲的路上喪命。

on their way to Europe.

This is the reality of Kédougou

這就是凱杜古的現實，

and of much of the Sahel today.

且薩赫爾現今大多也是如此。

Scary future,

令人害怕的未來，

scarce food

稀少的食物，

and no opportunities to change their situation.

且沒有機會能改變他們的狀況。

If life in your village weren't so precarious,

如果你村子中的生活是這麼不安穩，

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

如果有方法可以得到 足夠生存下去的食物，

or having a paying job --

或是找到一份有薪的工作──

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% 醒著的時間

fetching water,

花在取水上，

if conditions were just a little more hospitable ...

如果條件只要能稍微好一點點……

could the solution be right here in our soil?

有沒有可能解決方案 就在我們的土壤中？

Could bringing fonio to the rest of the world

有沒有可能把非洲全小米 帶給全世界，

be the answer?

就是我們在找的答案？

Ancient grains are getting more popular,

古老的穀物越來越熱門，

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

且無麩質的東西在美國越賣越好──

16.4 percent since 2013,

2013 年銷售就成長了 16.4%，

making it a 23.3-billion-dollar industry.

讓它成為 233 億美元的產業。

How could fonio partake in this market share?

非洲全小米要如何參與這個市場？

There are many challenges in turning fonio into food.

要把非洲全小米轉為 食物，有許多挑戰。

Traditional processing is laborious and time-consuming,

傳統加工要耗很多人力和時間，

especially when compared to other grains.

相較於其他穀物更是劣勢。

Well, thankfully, technology has evolved.

謝天謝地，科技進化了。

And there are now machines

現在有機器

that can process fonio in a more efficient way.

可以用更有效率的方式 來做非洲全小米加工。

And as a matter of fact,

事實上，

a few years ago,

幾年前，

Sanoussi Diakité,

山諾西迪亞基泰，

a Senegalese engineer,

一位塞內加爾的工程師，

won a Rolex prize

贏得了勞力士獎，

for his invention of the first mechanized fonio processor.

得獎作品是他發明的第一台 機械化非洲全小米加工機。

Today, such machines are making life much easier for producers

現今，這類機器讓整個 塞內加爾地區的生產者

around the whole Sahel region.

能輕鬆許多。

Another challenge is the colonial mentality

另一個挑戰是殖民心理，

that what comes from the west is best.

覺得來自西方的才是最好的。

This tendency to look down on our own products

這種看輕我們自己產品的傾向，

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

只將非洲全小米這類作物 視為「鄉下人的食物」

therefore substandard,

覺得它不夠格的傾向，

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

說明了為什麼雖然 塞內加爾傳統不產小麥，

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

在達卡街頭，要找到法式麵包 或可頌，遠比找到任何

than it is to find any fonio products.

非洲全小米產品要容易許多。

This same mindset popularized the overprocessed, leftover rice debris

同樣的心態導致過度加工剩餘的 稻米殘碎變得很普遍，

known as "broken rice,"

被稱為「壞掉的稻米」。

which was imported to Senegal from Indochina

它們是從印度支那 進口到塞內加爾的，

and introduced by the colonial French.

由殖民的法國人所引進。

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

沒多久，壞掉的稻米就成了 我們國家菜餚 thiéboudienne

「魚肉燉飯」的主要成份，

thiéboudienne,

replacing our own traditional, more nutritious African rice,

取代了我們自己傳統的 營養非洲稻米，

Oryza glaberrima.

Oryza glaberrima（非洲稻）。

Ironically, the same African rice despised at home

諷刺的是，在家鄉中 被鄙視的同樣非洲稻米，

was hailed abroad.

卻在國外受到歡迎。

Indeed, during the Atlantic slave trade,

的確，在跨大西洋奴隸貿易時，

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

這種稻米變成美洲的主要作物，

particularly in the Carolinas

特別是在卡羅萊納州，

where it was nicknamed, "Carolina gold."

在那裡，它的暱稱是 「卡羅萊納黃金」。

But let's return to fonio.

但，回到非洲全小米。

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

我們要如何把它目前身為 「鄉下人的食物」的狀況，

into a world-class crop?

轉變成世界級的作物？

Last year,

去年，

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

我和一個商業伙伴得到了 美國最大的天然食物連鎖店

the US's largest natural food store chain,

「全食超市」的承諾，它們會銷售

to carry fonio.

非洲全小米。

And we got a large American ingredient importer

我們也讓一家大型美國 原料進口商感興趣，

interested enough to send a team of executives

願意派一個主管團隊與我們

to West Africa with us

一起到西非，

to explore the supply chain's viability.

來評估供應鏈的可行性。

We found ourselves observing manual operations

我們去觀察了偏遠地區的

in remote locations

人工作業，

with few controls over quality.

發現品質管制做得很少。

So we started focusing on processing issues.

所以我們開始把焦點放在 加工處理的議題上。

We drew up a vision

我們擬了一個遠景，

with a beneficial and commercially sustainable supply chain for fonio,

內容包括了一個有利益且 有商業永續性的非洲全小米供應鏈，

and we connected ourselves with organizations

我們將我們自己 與能協助我們達成這個

that can help us achieve it.

遠景的組織做連結。

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

從市場反向走回來， 看起來是這個樣子的。

Imagine that fonio is consumed all across the globe

想像非洲全小米在全球

都像其他熱門 古老穀物一樣地被消費。

as other popular ancient grains.

Fonio touted on the levels of cereals,

非洲全小米被販售的層級

提高到如穀類加工食品、麵包、

breads,

nutrition bars,

營養棒、

cookies, pastas,

餅乾、義大利麵、

snacks -- why not?

零食──為什麼不？

It's easier to say than quinoa.

這比藜麥還容易發音。

(Laughter)

（笑聲）

(Applause)

（掌聲）

To get there,

為了做到那樣，

fonio needs to be readily available

非洲全小米需要準備好能夠以

at a consistent quality for commercial users,

一致的品質供應給商業使用者，

such as food manufacturers and restaurant chains.

比如食品製造商、連鎖餐廳。

That's the part we're missing.

那是我們缺少的部份。

To make fonio available at a consistent quality

要讓非洲全小米能夠以一致的品質

for commercial use,

供應做商業使用，

you need a commercial-scale fonio mill

你就需要一個商業規模的 非洲全小米磨坊，

that adheres to international quality standards.

它要能遵守國際品質標準。

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

目前，全世界並沒有這樣的磨坊。

so in our vision,

所以，在我們的遠景中，

there is an African-owned and operated fonio mill

有一間非洲擁有並經營的 非洲全小米磨坊，

that processes efficiently

能很有效率地加工，

and in compliance with the requirements of multinational food companies.

並且符合多國食物公司的要求。

It is very difficult for the fonio producers today

現今，非洲全小米製造商很難去

to sell and use fonio

銷售和使用非洲全小米，

unless they devote a huge amount of time and energy

除非它們投入大量的時間和心力，

in threshing, winnowing and husking it.

去打穀、簸選、除去外殼。

In our vision,

在我們的遠景中，

the mill will take on those tasks,

磨坊會接手做這些工作，

allowing the producers to focus on farming rather than processing.

讓製造商能專注在農業而非加工。

There is untapped agricultural capacity in the Sahel,

薩赫爾還有未被 開發利用的農業能力，

and all it takes is changing market conditions

需要做的只是改變市場條件，

to activate that capacity.

來啟動那能力。

By relieving fonio producers of manual operations,

透過讓非洲全小米製造商 不用再做人工作業，

the mill will free up their time

磨坊將它們的時間釋放出來，

and remove the production bottleneck that limits their output.

也能除去限制它們產出的瓶頸。

And there are other benefits as well

用薩赫爾土地來做農業，

in using Sahel land for agriculture.

還有其他的益處。

More benefits,

更多的福利，

higher employment,

更高的就業率，

climate change mitigation by reversing desertification

透過逆轉沙漠化來緩和氣候變遷，

and greater food security.

食物安全也更有保障。

Nice vision, right?

很好的遠景，對吧？

Well, we are working towards getting it done.

我們正在努力實現它。

Last month we introduced fonio to shoppers in New York City

上個月，我們向紐約市的 顧客介紹了非洲全小米，

and online,

也在線上介紹，

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

做了包裝讓它更有吸引力、 更讓人中意、更容易取得。

(Applause)

（掌聲）

We are talking with operators and investors in West Africa

我們正在和西非的業者和投資者談，

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

我們與非政府組織 SOS SAHEL 合作，

to recruit, train and equip smallholders in the Sahel

來徵召、訓練薩赫爾的小農 並提供裝備給他們，

to increase their fonio production.

來增加他們的非洲全小米產量。

Hunger levels are higher in sub-Saharan Africa

在撒哈拉以南非洲，飢餓的問題

than any other place in the world.

比世界其他地方都嚴重。

The Sahel population is set to grow

預期薩赫爾的人口還會成長，

from 135 million to 340 million people.

從 1 億 3 千 5 百萬人 成長到 3 億 4 千萬人。

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

然而，在那有乾旱及 饑荒傾向的地區，

fonio grows freely.

非洲全小米能自由生長。

This tiny grain may provide big answers,

這微小的穀物可能 可以提供巨大的答案，

reasserting its Dogon name,

再次稱聲它的多貢名稱：

"po," the seed of the universe,

「po」，宇宙的種子，

and taking us one step closer

讓我們與宇宙文明

to the universal civilization.

更靠近一步。

Thank you.

謝謝。

(Applause)

（掌聲）