SDG Agrifood Accelerator Programme: Reviving ancient grain for a sustainable future

In Northern Ghana, where challenges of food insecurity and land degradation intersect with climate vulnerability, AMAATI is pioneering innovative solutions through the cultivation of an ancient grain. As one of eleven startups supported by FAO's SDG Agrifood Accelerator Programme, this social enterprise is transforming degraded land while creating sustainable livelihood opportunities for women farmers.

The SDG Agrifood Accelerator Programme, which ran from 2022-2024, provided assistance for innovative startups that are transforming agrifood systems by enhancing environmental protection and improving the lives of marginalized members of their community. Participating enterprises received tailored mentoring, tools to measure and amplify their impact and small grants, to enable them to scale up their business while enhancing their contribution to the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs). The Programme was implemented with the technical support of SEED.

 

Ancient grain as a modern solution 

AMAATI’s model centers around the cultivation of Fonio - an indigenous, nutrient-dense and climate-resilient grain that has low water requirements, can withstand adverse weather conditions and helps to regenerate degraded soils. The enterprise assists rural women acquiring land for Fonio cultivation, trains them in agronomic practices and buys the harvested grain at guaranteed prices. After purchase, AMAATI dries, de-husks, packages and markets Fonio cereal products for household consumption. By increasing access to land for vulnerable women farmers, who traditionally lack access to both land and credit and ensuring these suppliers benefit equally from Fonio cultivation, the enterprise is addressing systemic barriers to women's economic empowerment in rural communities, while improving household nutrition and food security.

 

Through the SDG Agrifood Accelerator Programme, the enterprise has strengthened its impact in several key areas:

 

Product innovation

© FAO/Rewild 

Through the support of the FAO grant, AMAATI developed an innovative food product that creates additional market opportunities: gluten-free Fonio biscuits. These nutritious biscuits combine Fonio grain with protein-rich locust bean leaf, creating both a healthy food option and establishing new revenue streams for the community. The product development process was comprehensive, including prototype development and refinement, market research on consumer preferences, consumer testing, nutritional analysis and patent registration.

 

Diversifying Income Streams for Year-Round Resilience

© FAO/Rewild 

The Programme also supported the training of farmers in new value chains to diversify income opportunities. Twenty women Fonio farmers received specialized training in locust bean fruit harvesting techniques, including quality standards and safety protocols for fruit collection in the hinterlands. These women also received practical equipment including wellington boots, cutlasses, and stick harvesters to assist their work. This training and equipment enables these farmers to harvest fruit during the dry season. It provides a new diversified income source at a time when other agricultural activities are limited - therefore helping to sustain rural livelihoods year-round. 

     

SDG Impact

The SDG Agrifood Accelerator Programme’s support has contributed to multiple sustainable development goals:

	Training and equipment provided to farmers on locust bean fruit picking has given them access to new economic opportunities during the dry season, supporting year-round income generation, reducing seasonal vulnerability for rural women.
	Locally-produced, nutrient-dense Fonio products improve the nutritional intake of households and expand food security.
	By facilitating land access for women and ensuring they benefit equally from Fonio cultivation, AMAATI is advancing gender equality and empowering women economically.
	Fonio’s drought-resistant nature makes it a viable crop amidst climate change, offering resilience amid increasing climate volatility.
	Fonio cultivation helps to rehabilitate degraded soils, enhancing ecosystem health.

Looking forward

 

The SDG Agrifood Accelerator Programme has empowered AMAATI with both financial resources and impact monitoring tools to track their social, economic, and environmental contributions. This holistic approach ensures that business growth remains aligned with the SDGs.

Reflecting on the experience, Amaati Co-founder and COO of AMAATI shared: “Participating in the FAO SDG Agrifood Accelerator Programme has been an exciting learning experience. Our work with almost 10,000 women smallholder farmers has been enriched, and this intervention will ensure that income levels of the women will increase significantly as a result."

AMAATI’s success demonstrates how traditional crops, when combined with innovative business models, can address a multitude of interconnected challenges. Their journey offers valuable insights for other enterprises working in challenging agricultural environments, showing how indigenous knowledge and modern approaches can combine to serve both local communities and global sustainability goals.