Fatmata Binta
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REGIONAL GOODWILL AMBASSADOR FOR AFRICA
Fatmata Binta or Chef Binta as she likes to be called, hails from Sierra Leone. Her culinary practice is rooted in the Fulani people’s family and community cooking traditions. The first African to receive the Basque Culinary World Prize in 2022, Chef Binta is using the prize money to set up the Fulani Kitchen Foundation supporting women farmers and their cultivation of fonio, a type of millet, as an additional source of income and a crop that is resilient to climate change.
She is a strong promoter of fonio and was repeatedly involved in the International Year of Millets 2023. With her Dine on a Mat project, Chef Binta combines her nomadic Fulani roots, classical training and love for rural life and nature, to create delicious modern dishes whilst maintaining the simplicity and authenticity of Fulani culture. For FAO, Chef Binta has taken part in numerous projects related to millets as well as the World Food Forum, World Food Day and Junior World Food Day.
Highlights
Celebrating Sustainable Gastronomy Day
This Sustainable Gastronomy Day, we celebrate the connections behind every plate: farmers who care for the land, producers who safeguard ingredients and traditions, and chefs who turn them into dishes with purpose.
News
FAO Goodwill Ambassadors and Champions spotlight Sustainable Gastronomy Day
Sustainable gastronomy recognises that food is never only about consumption. It connects agriculture, culture, health, livelihoods and the environment - and reminds us that what we grow, cook and eat has a direct impact on both people and planet.
News
Chefs for Food Safety: FAO Champions Take Action
FAO Goodwill Ambassadors, Champions and other supporters have joined forces for a campaign spotlighting the importance of safe food through the universal language of cooking.
World Food Safety Day: Tips from our chefs
For World Food Safety Day, chefs @cristinabowermanchef, @luisatorres.co and @chef_binta share the simple habits they never skip. Because when it comes to food safety, small actions can make a big difference.
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Fatmata Binta's message for the International Year of the Woman Farmer 2026
Women farmers feed the world and sustain communities every day. During this International Year of the Woman Farmer and every day, let’s recognize their vital role and remove barriers.
NEWS
Young chefs take the lead in safeguarding global food heritage
A dynamic exchange between leading culinary voices and emerging changemakers underscored the growing role of chefs as advocates for cultural preservation, sustainability and community resilience.
Chef Binta visiting GIAHS in São Tomé and Príncipe
In 2024, FAO recognized the Cocoa agroforestry system of São Tomé and Príncipe as a Globally Important Agricultural Heritage System (GIAHS).
News
Chef Fatmata Binta designated FAO Regional Goodwill Ambassador for Africa
The Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO) announced the designation of chef Fatmata Binta as Regional Goodwill Ambassador for Africa.
EVENT
World Food Day Ceremony-FAO80
Celebrate World Food Day with the leaders of the Rome-based UN agencies and special guests.
EVENT
Foods Futures: Conversations for a Better World Webcast
Hosted by award-winning writer and BBC broadcaster Dan Saladino, this dynamic, Davos-style session explores how food can shape a fairer, more sustainable world.
News
Pope Leo XIV and world leaders mark World Food Day and FAO at 80 in Rome
The Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO) today commemorated World Food Day and its 80th anniversary with a landmark event in Rome.
Story
Cultivating fonio, cultivating traditions
Together with FAO and Ghana's Ministry of Food and Agriculture, Chef Fatmata Binta, an advocate of fonio as a nutritious food and a livelihood opportunity for women farmers, is aiming to boost fonio production and consumption in Chereponi and across the country
News
FAO and Chef Binta empower women fonio farmers in Ghana
FAO and Chef Binta, with the support of the Government of Ghana’s Ministry of Food and Agriculture, have trained women fonio farmers to address the challenges of traditional fonio production methods.
Proud moment for Chef Binta's team for successfully collaborating on the first fonio training!
Chef Binta's Fulani Kitchen partnered with FAO Ghana.
International day
Sustainable Gastronomy Day | 18 June
Gastronomy is a cultural expression of the world’s natural and cultural diversity.
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FAO in Africa on X: "Congrats to @FulaniChef Fatmata Binta for her #TedTalk in New York!"
TED and The Rockefeller Foundation joined forces for a special event focused on “Big Bets”
News
FAO and chef Fatmata Binta announce new project to empower women fonio producers in Ghana
A new project aimed at supporting women fonio producers in Ghana.
Story
Are you up to the millet dish challenge?
FAO's Global Chefs Challenge is promoting millet recipes to introduce this under-valued food source into our diets.
News
Africa’s millets super foods can help address hunger and climate change
At a special event at the Food and Agriculture Organization’s Regional Office for Africa, millets took centre stage and were celebrated for their potential in addressing climate change, boosting nutrition and increasing farmers’ incomes.
International year
Millets Recipe Book detail | International Year of Millets 2023
The first African to receive the Basque Culinary World Prize in 2022, Chef Binta is using the prize money to set up the Fulani Kitchen Foundation supporting women farmers and their cultivation of fonio.
News
Chefs promoting millets - Fatmata Binta, Anahita Dhondy and Max Mariola
As a nomadic pastoral people in northern Africa, the Fulani kitchen is built around foods that are available in arid and semi arid environments.