India, Dec. 6 -- Fonio (Digitaria exilis) and Sikiya (Digitaria sanguilanis) are two plants that have much in common, though separated by geography. Both are wild millets from the crabgrass family. Fonio grows in the savannas of West Africa while Sikiya grows in the Dindori district of Madhya Pradesh. Both are preferred foods of rural and tribal communities. But the similarities end here.

As a millet, Fonio has crossed the seas to reach new lands. Though already widespread in West Africa, it faced a relative decline in relation to cash crops. Socio-economic changes, some of which were related to colonialism, were also responsible for this, says millets expert Don Osborn based in the United States. But as a millet, Fonio has received much...