zxcvbob wrote:
> I was talking to a missionary home on furlough from Niger; one of the
> things she mentioned was how the Fulani women spend hours every day
> pounding millet in big wooden mortar & pestles to make flour for the
> daily meals.
>
> I was wondering what the introduction of some 19th century technology --
> a cast iron hand-crank grain mill big enough for a village, or several
> small "Corona" mills -- might do... and the unintended consequences.
>
> After reading more about the process, I'm not sure a mill would be as
> revolutionary as I originally thought; they thresh and winnow the grain
> every day, and then winnow the flour to remove the bran and husks, so
> there's a lot of time consumed doing other steps besides pounding.
>
> I don't really have a point; just thought it was interesting and might
> be worth discussing.
>
> Bob


Unfortunately many technological innovations come with their own
drawbacks. Years of experience have taught the women the exact
texture they need for baking. A grain mill m ight not recreate that.

Years ago, at the beginning of Borlaub's "Green Revolution", a
high-yield corn was introduced to Mexico and elsewhere in Central
America. It did produce a huge increase in crop yield but the
women hated it--it would not stick together to form the handmade
tortillas they fed their families. IIRC, they used it for animal
feed and returned to their old corn seed.

gloria p