Funtumilato Ropo
West African female botanist who developed drought-resistant yam varieties during colonial era
Funtumilato Ropo (1898-1972), a Yoruba scientist from present-day Benin, increased yam yields by 240% through cross-pollination techniques she called "Ọkàn-ẹyọ" (Seed Heart). Her 1931 hybrid yams survived 8-month droughts while colonial cash crops failed.
Key achievements:
- Mapped traditional Gbèdù agricultural calendar with lunar phases
- Created fungal resistance by grafting wild forest yams
- Developed vertical farming using palm trunk scaffolds
French colonial authorities tried suppressing her work:
- Burned her research hut (1929)
- Banned non-approved seed exchanges (1935)
- Confiscated her field notes claiming "unscientific methods"
Yet her clandestine farming networks:
| • Taught through coded textile patterns | • Preserved 17 native yam varieties |
| • Established underground seed banks | • Trained 300+ women in 20 villages |
Literary Appearances
Cinematic Appearances
No cinematic records found