CORPSAFRICA
  • Home
  • About
    • About us >
      • The Model
      • Human-Centered Design
      • Impact
      • Development Partners
      • Junior CorpsAfrica
    • Team >
      • Staff
      • Board of Directors
      • Advisory Council
    • Work With Us
    • Press
    • Videos
    • Testimonials
    • Contact us
  • Countries
    • Morocco
    • Senegal
    • Malawi
    • Rwanda
    • Ghana
    • Kenya
  • Volunteers
    • Meet the Volunteers >
      • Morocco Volunteers >
        • Group 1 Morocco
        • Group 2 Morocco
        • Group 3 Morocco
        • Group 4 Morocco
        • Group 5 Morocco
        • Group 6 Morocco
      • Malawi Volunteers >
        • Group 1 Malawi
        • Group 2 Malawi
        • Group 3 Malawi
        • Group 4 Malawi
        • Group 5 Malawi
        • Group 6 Malawi
      • Senegal Volunteers >
        • Group 1 Senegal
        • Group 2 Senegal
        • Group 3 Senegal
        • Group 4 Senegal
        • Group 5 Senegal
        • Group 6 Senegal
      • Rwanda Volunteers >
        • Group 1 Rwanda
        • Group 2 Rwanda
        • Group 3 Rwanda
    • Podcast - "My CorpsAfrica Story"
    • Featured Projects >
      • Dzaleka Basketball Court
      • Kitchen Gardens
      • Coronavirus Response
    • Featured Volunteers
    • Alumni Association
    • Apply
  • Events
    • Events >
      • PROJECTing Resilience
    • All Country Conference
  • Blog
  • Donate
    • Donate to CorpsAfrica
    • Pay It Forward Campaign
    • Holbrooke Campaign
    • Corporate Council for CorpsAfrica
    • Planned Giving
    • Amazon Smile

​SEASONAL FOODS; THE BEST FROM THE RAINY SEASON

5/26/2018

0 Comments

 
Written by CorpsAfrica/Malawi Volunteer Ms. Ireen Kanjala
 

A wide variety of crops are grown during the hot and wet seasons in Malawi (November to April) and then harvested as well as stored in the cool dry season (May to July).  The most commonly grown crops in my community include maize, groundnuts, cassava, and sweet potatoes. The uneven distribution of rain earlier in the season caused moisture stress and resulted in crops wilting - in some cases permanently wilting - and lowering crop yield. Rainfall distribution improved later in the season, benefiting the late-planted crops and late maturity crops.

Although, there’s been an onset of poor rains, local farmers are harvesting their produce and selling in the local markets. One of the joys of being a Volunteer is eating with the seasons and helping cultivate a more resilient, sustainable food system. When we purchase food that's in season from local farmers, we're supporting both local farmers and the local economy. Buying seasonal food from local sources means that the food has spent less shelf life in traveling and in storage, which can significantly cut back on environmental impacts. 
Picture
Groundnuts laid to dry in the sun
It is not only about the crops, but insects too. My favourite seasonal protein source has been the flying termites which are locally known as Ngumbi.Ngumbiis from the termite family and the insect makes homes in anthills. These incredibly delicious insects come out during the rainy season but can be stored for consumption during the dry season. Catching Ngumbi is a unique art, especially if you want to catch more than enough for the whole family. One needs to master how to catch these lazy insects, keeping in mind that you only have one season of rain to get these tasty crunchy proteins.
​
Flying termite swarms mark the start of termite season. They are mainly attracted to light, which makes catching them in my community even more interesting because of our lack of electricity. Some community members use homemade lamps made from tins, while others trap the flying termites straight on the ant hill.
Picture
A locally made trap used to catch flying termites on an anthill
Flying termites are easy to prepare and preserve. They are dipped in boiling water for less than a minute to help in wing detachment and washing away the excess fat. They are dried in the sun and stored in sacks or containers.  They are commonly served with Nsima (hard porridge made from maize meal).
Picture
A plate of fried flying termites
Picture
The preparation of Nsima
Though the rainy season has come to an end, I have preserved a part of the season’s treats.  I am definitely looking forward to the goodies that will come with the cool dry season. Hopefully my little bag of flying termites will get me through until then.
0 Comments



Leave a Reply.

    Support
    Welcome
    ​to the CorpsAfrica Volunteer Blog! 
    Get an inside look at the experiences of CorpsAfrica Volunteers in the field.

    Archives

    December 2022
    November 2022
    May 2022
    April 2022
    March 2022
    February 2022
    January 2022
    December 2021
    November 2021
    May 2021
    April 2021
    March 2021
    December 2020
    November 2020
    October 2020
    September 2020
    August 2020
    July 2020
    June 2020
    May 2020
    April 2020
    March 2020
    February 2020
    December 2019
    June 2019
    May 2019
    March 2019
    February 2019
    January 2019
    December 2018
    October 2018
    September 2018
    August 2018
    July 2018
    June 2018
    May 2018
    April 2018
    March 2018
    February 2018
    January 2018
    December 2017
    August 2017
    March 2017
    February 2017
    January 2017
    December 2016
    November 2016
    October 2016
    September 2016
    August 2016
    July 2016
    June 2016
    May 2016
    April 2016
    March 2016

    RSS Feed

Picture