Sesame

An oilseed crop, Sesamum indicum, among the oldest oilseed crops cultivated by humans, with archaeological evidence of its use going back several thousand years; its exact center of domestication is debated between the Indian subcontinent, where it has been cultivated for millennia, and East Africa, home to most of the wild relatives of the crop. Sesame is grown for its small seeds, pressed for oil or used whole in cooking and baking, and it is notably drought-tolerant, suited to the hot, dry conditions of much of its growing range. India, Sudan, Myanmar and Tanzania are among the largest modern producers.