Global Studies Africa Textbook: An Open Global Historical Studies Textbook Main Menu East African Politics, Modern History, and International Relations Authors: Anna Bradley, Georgia Coffman, Madyson Duby, Danny Kovalak Art and Culture in East Africa Modern History of Western Africa Introduction for the Modern History of Western Africa chapter Arts and Culture in Western Africa Arts and Culture in Western Africa Chapter Introduction Medicine and Health in West Africa West African Natural Resources A brief summary of West African natural resources Natural Resources in Central Africa Natural Resources in Central Africa Art and Culture of Central Africa Arts and Culture in North Central Africa Economics and Infrastructure in the South African Region Healthcare in Southern Africa Author Credits

West African Food

36300 Medicine and Health in West Africa
Chapter Introduction

Cuisine is a very important aspect of West African culture. Each of the countries in this region have their own special dishes that are in some cases, very specific to the region. Here we will take a look at the food of this region, and the impact it has had on the culture of the Western countries of Africa. Different topics such as famous dishes, nutrition, crops and more will be covered in this chapter. The food of the area is undoubtedly vital to the culture of these countries that make up the West African region. This cuisine may seem foreign to others in the world, but it is important to take a look at these kinds of things, see what others in the world experience, and immerse yourself in a culture that is different from your own.

Famous Dishes

There are plenty of recipes from all around the West African region. First we will look at the famous dishes of one of the cultural hotspots of the region in Nigeria. One of the very popular dishes in Nigeria is Jollof Rice. This dish is not only specific Nigeria, as it actually originated in Senegal,  but it is notable in this country in particular. Jollof Rice includes a colorful mix rice, onions, tomatoes, chillies, and various other spices and seasonings, as well as certain meats sometimes. This dish is often served at special events and gatherings, as it is very sacred to the people of this region. Another specialty recipe or dish of the West African region comes from the country of Ghana. Waakye is another rice based food and it is seen as a traditional dish of Ghana. It uses a mix of rice and beans, as well as other spices and seasonings of course. This dish is often served with sides such as fried plantain and avocado. Many of these traditional dishes are sacred to West African countries, making them a big part of the culture as a whole.

Nutrition in the Region

In the discussion of this regions food, it is also important to bring up the topic of nutrition in this area. Just like much of Africa, the western region also has a great deal of people who face the struggles of hunger and malnutrition. All though there has been some good progress made in recent years in regard to solid nutrition, there are still problems with child malnutrition especially involving low birth weights and other health problems in this area. Despite these cases of malnutrition though, it is said that people of the West African region have much healthier diets than those in places such as the United States and the United Kingdom. The food consumed has much less unhealthy sugar and fat than the heavily processed food of these other countries. This is definetly a good aspect of the nutrition in this region. Most of the problems in West Africa regarding nutrition more heavily involve the lack of food in certain areas rather than an excess of unhealthy foods. 

Crops of the Region

The countries of West Africa contain a vast selection of fertile land that is important for the growing of certain crops. Some of the crops grown in this region include, rice, sorghum, and coffee, as well as cacao and certain types of livestock. Cacao in particular is a very important crop in countries like Cote d'Ivoire and Ghana. With that being said, there is also a great deal of economic opportunity in the growing of crops, as many of the people who live in these countries make a living farming. Most of these crops are grown in very wet areas, the rice and cacao in particular. The food that is grown in the fields often shows up in popular food dishes of the area mentioned earlier. For example rice is a commonly used crop in the creation of many West African dishes. All of this goes to show that the growing of these crops has a great impact on the food of these countries, outside of the economical impact, consequently making it a part of the culture in West Africa as well.

Conclusion

Food has a lot to do with the culture of West Africa. What the people cook, harvest, and eat often has much to say about the community. The vibrant cuisine of this region goes to show just culturally rich West Africa is as a whole. Although other areas of the world may try to appropriate this kind of food and culture, there is no taking it away from its special home in these various countries. It is always good to expand tastes, and indulging in this African food is a great way to accomplish that.

This page has paths:

  1. Arts and Culture in Western Africa Jennifer Coronado

Contents of this path:

  1. Ghanaian Farmers
  2. Jollof Rice