Rare Teff Grass Grown in Kyiv Region

Leonid Tsentylo, owner and head of Agrofirm Kolos LLC, said this during the educational and practical field seminar «From Farm to Table: How to Create Added Value, Strengthen Local Communities and Develop Resilient Food Chains in Ukraine» held as part of the FarmForce project.

«Teff is a cereal crop that is interesting because it has a powerful fibrous root system rich in living microorganisms and is also capable of surviving even under dry conditions. In the absence of precipitation, fluctuations between night-time and daytime temperatures allow the root system to work like an air conditioner, thereby ensuring the continuous development and growth of the plants. Teff can be used in mixtures with other green manure crops,» the head of the farm explained.

He also added that the crop’s seeds are very small, but this does not prevent it from being harvested with a conventional combine harvester. They have tried milling the grain in a stone mill, where the millstones grind it well into flour that can be used to bake wholemeal bread. The farm is currently working on registering teff grass.

Viktoriia Polevyk, AgroPortal.ua