During the Tasting the Forgotten Foods event, one of the highlights was the official launch of the Report on the African Diaspora Food Market in the UK by Jo Spalburg, Secretary Geneeral of the Caribbean Chamber of Commerce Europe.

In his remarks, Mr Spalburg emphasized that the research serves as strong evidence of the African diaspora’s significant contribution to global food systems. He also highlighted the immense opportunities for growth within the sector as shown by the findings of the study. These are opportunities that could create economic and cultural benefits not only for Africa, but also for the Caribbean and Europe.

In his speech, he also stated that several crops that have become neglected or “forgotten” in parts of Africa are today deeply rooted in Caribbean cuisine and culture, where they continue to serve as important daily staple foods.  Using Jamaican diet as an example of the functional and nutritional value of forgotten foods, Mr Spalburg shared that many Jamaicans, believe that the extraordinary speed and athletic success of their world-renowned sprinters is closely linked to their traditional diet; particularly the regular consumption of local root crops such as yams. This, he said, is a powerful testimony to the strength and value of indigenous foods and food traditions.

 

 

 

 

You can read the report here: https://drive.google.com/file/d/1IqGeJsj--U5i00LaIQ6US9nmndB68kCS/view?usp=sharing