Decolonization, Diasporas and the African Food System

2 - 3 July 2024. Exploring Intersections: Decolonization, Diasporas and the African Food System

This hybrid conference is an initiative of the Food Bridge vzw in partnership with Diaspofood ULB, Africa Museum Tervuren, Interdisciplinary Historical Food Studies Research Group (FOST) VUB, The New Global Order (TNGO), Alefa Diaspora and others.

For those joining virtually, here is the zoom link for the two days : https://us06web.zoom.us/j/85848456788?pwd=7HHpCznLHZ4JnKe6yI9yFYYW0QhJlV.1

The conference seeks to unravel the

historical, cultural, and socio-economic dynamics that shaped the current state of African food systems and its impact on the continent’s development. Furthermore, it will be considering the effects of colonization, the experiences of diasporic communities, and the potential for decolonization to reshape the African food systems.

Download the programme here

Where is African Agency in the African
Diaspora Food Systems?

• 
  Keynote by Prof Adams Bodomo, Head of African Studies Department
  University of Vienna, Austria

Precolonial and colonial African foodways

• Birgit Ricquier - Early Foodways in Northeast Congo: Shots of History Distilled by means of
  Comparative Linguistics
• Iradukunda M Tema - La nutrition à
  
  l’africaine, le Sorgho aliment traditionnel burundais
• Karina Ramos - The relationship between food consumption and territoriality in Luanda's colonial urban space (1949-1973)
• Maud Devos - Stilled objects versus cultural histories. Reconnecting museum objects related to coffee and cassava to past and present Tetela vocabularies.

Diaspora Foodways

• Michael Abwami Innocent - Exploring the
  
  Influence Of African Diasporas On Food Practices: A Development Communication Perspective
• Jahlani Niaah, Nicole Plummer, Sonjah Stanley Niaah - Decolonizing the Palate: Rastafari's Evolution of Ital Nutrition
• Philip Umaru, Azubuike Erinugha - Exploring African Food in Contexts: Implications for Diasporic Communities
• Sarah O’Neill & Maureen Duru – Mapping the African Food legacy in Belgium: the Vyakulani Project

Economic Empowerment and Entrepreneurship

• Sarah De Smet, Smaranda Boros, Charlene Zietsma, Karijn Bonne and Claire Maréchal - Women immigrant entrepreneurs in Belgium: Strategies to belong
• Kennedy Oyier Ngoko- Sustainable Smart Aquaculture: Decolonizing African food systems for Economic Empowerment and Entrepreneurship
• Suzanne Awung, Founder Suzy Farms Corp Cameroon
• Farai Gwelo – Corporate control and small holder farmer’s autonomy in the digitalization of smallholder agriculture in South Africa
• Eduardo da Silva Oliveira: Decolonising Sustainability: Implementing Divergent Pedagogies for African-Centred Business Sustainability Management Solutions

African Diaspora food in literature 

• Prof Adams Bodomo and other African authors

Health and Nutrition

• Emiel de Meyer - Medicinal plant use among the Congolese (Democratic Republic of Congo) community in Belgium
• Laura Van Damme - Plant use and perceptions in the context of sexual health among people of Congolese descent in Belgium
• Helen Bour, Sandra Boatemaa Kushitor, Karina Benessaiah, Elena Bennett, Oonsie Reinette Biggs, Nyasha Magadzire - The Role Of Seeds In Transforming Food Systems In Coastal Areas In Ghana
• Dr Stella Iwuagwu Food as medicine and heritage

From Congo to Belgium: culinary journeys and stories

• Césarine Sinatu Bolya
• Valérie Maluma
• Pathy Kibungu
• Mama Marie

Food Sovereignty and Climate change

• Nicole Plummer, Marisa Wilson, Charmaine
  
  McKenzie, Inna Yaneva-Toraman, Thera Edwards, Patricia Northover, Sylvia Adjoa Mitchell, Anthony Richards, Kasikeiani Ronalda Pairman - Achieving Climate Justice Through a Decolonized Approach to Food Heritage
• Ndidi Nwaneri - ONUNAKA FARMS – 2021-2023
• Jutta Kleber - Relying on indigenous knowledge for sound agriculture, food and health systems - experiences from East-Africa

Food Policy and Governance

• Marthe Djuikom - Politiques de développement et mutations en milieu rural africain
• Aya Kasasa - Diaspora Desk, Organization of Africa, Caribbean and Pacific States (OACP)
• Guggi Laryea - International Fund for Agricultural Development (IFAD)

What is the Future of African Food Systems

• moderated by Ms Paddy Siyanga
• Ms Bwalya Mwali – Founder- Africa Tales, an initiative focusing on documenting and making Oral African history & traditions easily accessible and Networking for Africa, a platform for black professionals and Entrepreneurs.
• Sven Bullaert – founder Umu BV including UMU Homes & Pods; building sustainable and healing homes that focus on the environmental and personal impact and Herbie Chocolate; Belgian chocolate produced with traditional African and Asian herbs.
• Professor Adams Bodomo , Professor and Chair African studies University of Vienna Austria.

Resources:

Diaspora, Food and Identity Nigerians migrants in Belgium

This book examines the connection between food and identity in the Nigerian diaspora community in Belgium. Encounters between people from different cultures do not lead to a simple adaptation of the diet, but usually give rise to some kind of fusion of new and indigenous food habits. The author questions the relationship between what Nigerian migrants in the diaspora eat, their self-perception and how they engage with outsiders. Starting with a historical introduction about the country, this study examines what aspects of the Nigerian food culture is retained and what has changed.