An innovative international collaboration led by Garrett Oliver, brewmaster at Brooklyn Brewery in New York, is demonstrating how fonio, an ancient and drought-resistant West African grain, can create new opportunities for sustainable brewing, agricultural biodiversity and smallholder farmers.
Launched in April 2024, Brewing for Impact brings together leading breweries from Africa, Europe, Asia and North America to develop beers using fonio, while promoting a more diverse and climate-resilient agricultural future.
Rediscovering fonio: Africa's climate-resilient grain
Fonio (Digitaria exilis) is one of Africa's oldest cultivated cereals, grown for more than 5,000 years across West Africa, particularly in Senegal, Guinea, Mali and Burkina Faso. Sometimes referred to as the "seed of the universe," this traditional grain can grow in nutrient-poor soils under relatively dry conditions, often with few agricultural inputs.
Despite its nutritional value, cultural significance and resilience, fonio remains underutilized in international food markets. Its small grain size, labour-intensive processing and limited industrial infrastructure have historically constrained commercialization.
However, increasing interest in sustainable foods and climate-resilient crops is creating new opportunities. Fonio can be used in porridge, couscous-like dishes, bakery products and increasingly in beverages, including beer.
Garrett Oliver brings fonio to international brewing
Garrett Oliver's interest in fonio began in 2019 after meeting Pierre Thiam, the Senegalese chef and founder of Yolélé, a company promoting African ingredients in international markets. Inspired by Thiam's efforts to connect West African farmers with global consumers, Oliver began experimenting with fonio as a brewing ingredient.
His early experiments demonstrated that fonio could produce beers with distinctive flavours and aromas, while offering an alternative to conventional brewing grains.
In April 2024, to celebrate his 30th anniversary at Brooklyn Brewery, Oliver launched Brewing for Impact, mobilizing an international coalition of breweries to explore fonio's commercial potential.
The initiative brought together:
Maison Kalao (Senegal) – developed Brooklyn A Dakar, a fonio-based pilsner.
Thornbridge Brewery (United Kingdom) – introduced a fonio cask pale ale.
Omnipollo (Sweden) – created a fonio version of Black Chocolate Stout.
Carlsberg (Denmark) – developed an experimental lager replacing barley entirely with fonio.
Russian River Brewing Company (United States) – joined the collaborative brewing programme.
Jing-A Brewing (China) – explored fonio in contemporary Chinese craft brewing.
Guinness (Ireland) – collaborated with Oliver on a limited-edition Guinness Fonio Stout, released in November 2024.
Brooklyn Brewery (United States) – developed Fonio Rising Pale Ale, which expanded to nationwide distribution in the United States in February 2025.
Each collaboration demonstrated how a traditional African grain could be incorporated into different brewing traditions, from pilsners and pale ales to stouts.
Creating new markets for West African smallholder farmers
Beyond brewing innovation, the initiative aims to generate new demand for fonio and strengthen commercial opportunities for West African farmers, including women smallholders.
Through its partnership with Yolélé and its sourcing networks, the initiative connects the international brewing industry with African agricultural value chains. A 2025 presentation by Brooklyn Brewery reported that its fonio projects had sourced more than 12 tonnes of grain directly from West African smallholder farmers.
However, expanding this market also presents challenges. Increased international demand requires investment in processing facilities, quality standards, traceability, reliable supply chains and fair commercial arrangements that ensure farmers benefit from higher-value markets.
The initiative also supports the Michael James Jackson Foundation for Brewing and Distilling, established by Garrett Oliver to increase opportunities for Black, Indigenous and other underrepresented professionals in the brewing and distilling industries.
Relevance to GFAiR's Collective Action on Forgotten Foods
Brewing for Impact offers a compelling example of the opportunities promoted by the GFAiR Collective Action on Forgotten Foods, which seeks to revive neglected and underutilized species (NUS) through research, entrepreneurship, market development and recognition of indigenous agricultural knowledge.
Fonio illustrates how a crop historically overlooked by mainstream agricultural research and international markets can attract commercial interest when connected with innovative processing technologies, product development and strategic partnerships.
Three lessons are particularly relevant to GFAiR and its partners.
- First, creating demand is essential. Reviving forgotten crops requires more than improving agricultural production. Innovative applications, such as brewing, can create new markets that encourage farmers to maintain or expand cultivation.
- Second, international partnerships can accelerate innovation. The collaboration between Pierre Thiam, Garrett Oliver, African farmers and breweries across several continents demonstrates how entrepreneurs, food processors and international companies can work together to develop new value chains.
- Third, market expansion must benefit local producers. For the commercial success of fonio to contribute to inclusive agrifood systems, investments are needed in local processing, farmer organizations, research, quality assurance and equitable value-chain partnerships.
These priorities closely reflect the objectives of GFAiR's Collective Action on Forgotten Foods, including its engagement with African diaspora entrepreneurs, research institutions and agrifood SMEs to develop markets for indigenous African crops.
The experience also provides an interesting model for other forgotten foods, such as Bambara groundnut, finger millet and sorghum, whose potential for innovative food and beverage products remains insufficiently explored.
From forgotten grain to global innovation
The expansion of fonio into international brewing demonstrates that Africa's agricultural biodiversity is not merely a heritage to preserve but also a resource for innovation, entrepreneurship and economic development.
By connecting traditional crops with modern industries, Brewing for Impact offers an example of how commercial innovation can generate new demand for climate-resilient agricultural products while drawing attention to the farmers and communities that have maintained these crops for generations.
For GFAiR's Collective Action on Forgotten Foods, the central lesson is clear: transforming neglected crops into commercially successful products requires connecting agricultural research, local processing, entrepreneurial innovation and international markets, while ensuring that African farmers share in the benefits.
References and further information
Brooklyn Brewery – Launch of Brewing for Impact (25 April 2024)
Brewing for Impact: Garrett Oliver and the potential of fonio – Hop Culture (15 July 2024)
Carlsberg and Brooklyn Brewery develop a barley-free fonio lager (25 July 2024)
Guinness Fonio Stout collaboration (13 November 2024)
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