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Recent News
Traditional Foods Festival a Showcase
of Agro-Biodiversity May/June 2009
Preserving traditional
foods passed down from generation to generation
The first Traditional Foods & Seeds Festival
organized by NCI and local partners was held outside the city of
Catacocha in southern Ecuador with the aim of providing a forum
for farmers, housewives, and associations to exchange seeds and
recipes and to promote the rich diversity of wholesome ingredients
grown in the region. In
a world where monocultures are becoming ever more omnipresent, the
promotion of agro-biodiversity through events such as these is a
crucial step in the preservation of traditional food varieties that
have been passed down from generation to generation. Besides exchanging
seeds and recipes, participants served up a wide array of local
dishes ranging from roasted guinea pig, to plantain and peanut soup,
to chocolate peanut candy. Prizes were awarded to the participants
that served the best soup, main dish, dessert, and drink, in addition
to the participants with the best tasting varieties of corn and
peanuts.
In
a world where monocultures are becoming ever more omnipresent, the
promotion of agro-biodiversity through events such as these is a
crucial step in the preservation of traditional food varieties that
have been passed down from generation to generation. Besides exchanging
seeds and recipes, participants served up a wide array of local
dishes ranging from roasted guinea pig, to plantain and peanut soup,
to chocolate peanut candy. Prizes were awarded to the participants
that served the best soup, main dish, dessert, and drink, in addition
to the participants with the best tasting varieties of corn and
peanuts. 