Brussels Briefing n. 31

Geography of food: reconnecting with origin in the food system

15th May 2013

http://brusselsbriefings.net

Linking food traditions and education: the experience of Slow Food and the Terra Madre

Network

Anselme Bakudila Mbuta, Slow Food Studies Centre

LINKING TASTE AND

EDUCATION: THE EXPERIENCE

OF SLOW FOOD AND

THE TERRA MADRE NETWORK

Anselme BakudilaCentre des études Slow Fooda.bakudila@slowfood.it

Briefing ACP-UE no. 31 – Bruxelles 15 mai 2013

• A non-profit organisation, established in 1986 alternative to fast-food and to fast life;

• Became international in 1989. Headquarters in Bra (Piemont – Italy);

• Supports eco-gastronomy, food education, biodiversity, preservation of local traditional nutrition, farmers and environment

What is Slow Food?

Global network of 100,000 participants in 160 160 countries, organised in approximately 800 800 convivia.

Supports change in the current production system, food consumption and food distribution.

Connects all key players in the food sector: farmers, fishermen, cattle rearing, taste and food biodiversity

Participants: farmers, artisans, students, fishermen, teachers,

academicss, cooks, chefs, food communities, Slow Food Youth Network

The Slow Food Networkwww.terramadre.org

Every two years in Turin – 5,000 participants from respective communities across 5 continents

Terra Madre Event:Expression of the network

When to eat = saving and keeping tradition

and biodiversityFood produce which is the expression of a territory and of those who produce it. For this, we have these projects: projets:

• Ark of Taste,• Slow Food Presidia, • Earth Market, • Alliance between Chefs and Slow Food Presidia, • A Thousand Gardens in Africa, • Four Cities For Dev (4Cities4Dev).

www.slowfoodfoundation.com

The project revolves around these values:

A Thousand Gardens in Africa

(www.slowfoodfoundation.com/athousandgardens)

Solidarity

Biodiversity

Relationship

Respect

Tradition

Curiosity

Aim for the year- total of 10,000 gardens

School gardens by the pupils and teachers

Community gardens

By adults (local communities, parents).

Products: local biodiversityThey are easy to re-create

locally

Education and Taste

Knowledge of the food sector: from field to fork

- produce for local consumption (not for export): school canteen;

- learning (not an act of punishment);- school canteen or school fees support;- men and women involved;- school attendence and fight against illiteracy;- valuing of food.

Easy to re-create locally

Social Impact

Africa-Europe Co-operationTraditional food (good, clean and fair) as starting point. European cities (Turin, Tours, Bilbao, Riga) adopt 7 food

communities in Africa as per the twinning system:

Ivory Coast – ToursEthiopia – BilbaoKenya – Bilbao

Madagascar – RigaMali – Turin

Mauritania – ToursSenegal – Turin

FOUR CITIES FOR DEV (www.4cities4dev.eu)

Production zone – Villages of Tartar and Soibee.Ingredients:• ash of the “cromwo” tree (“kamabele kambou” in Swahili);• cow milk (local breeds crossed with zebus) yoghurt for men - or• goat milk (thicker and more nutritional value) yoghurt for

women and children.

Inmportant nutrition in the Pokot tradition: especially for the shepherds.

SLOW FOOD PRESIDIA OF THE POKOT (Kenya) ASH YOGHURT

Social Impact Micro-economy created in favour of families enables:

• the continuity of traditional nutrition;

• the guarantee of veterinary assistance and the food implementation to cattle;

• the purchase of 3 oxen-zebus for reproduction;

• production of promotional material for the yoghurt and for the territory;

26 active producers currently

Preservation and promotion of traditional products of 4 African countries:

• Guinea-Bissau (traditional palm oil);• Mali (Katta pasta from Timbuktu and Gao);• Senegal (salty couscous millet);• Sierra Leone (Kenema Cola).

with the help of producers, cooks, academics and the local network.

Other Slow Food projects (with the FAO)

The mapping of food identifying the local vegetable produce from traditional plant varieties and animal species enables:

• More control of spontaneous resources (herbs,

leaves, fruits, honey, fish);

• Possibility of diet diversification

Social Impact

Slow Food Cuba is founded in 2004. With 3 convivia and several local associations:

• Cuban renewable solar energy;• Community association for the protection of Taste

and Education

Slow Food Cuba

Thank you for your attention