Mahangu
| Missing image Merge_articles.png | It has been proposed that this article or section be merged with Millet.
This request may be discussed on the article's talk page. |
In Namibia, Mahangu is the word for pearl millet, a crop grown mainly in the north of that country, where it is the staple food. In the dry, unpredictable climate of this area it grows better than alternatives such as maize.
Mahangu is usually made into a kind of porridge called "oshifima" (or "oshithima"), or fermented to make a drink called "ontaku" or "oshikundu".
Traditionally the mahangu is pounded with heavy pieces of wood in a 'pounding area'. The floor of the pounding area is covered with a cementlike coating made from the material of termite mounds. As a result, some sand and grit gets into the pounded mahangu, so products like oshifima are usually swallowed without chewing. [1] After pounding, wind willowing may be used to remove the chaff.
Some industrial grain processing facilities now exist, such as those operated by Namib Mills.
Efforts are also being made to develop smaller scale processing using food extrusion and other methods. In a food extruder, the mahangu is milled into a paste before being through metal die. Products made this way include breakfast cereals, including puffed cereals and porridge, pasta shapes, and "rice". It is hoped that this technology will enable farmers and villagers to add value to the crop and increase its storage life. [2]
Recently more productive varieties of pearl millet have been introduced enabling farmers to increase production considerably. [3]