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Chefs lead the charge for African gastronomy federation at UN tourism forum

Published

10 months ago

July 29, 2024

BY BAYANDA NKATHA

The United Nations (UN Tourism) Regional Forum on Gastronomy Tourism for Africa concluded on a high note in Victoria Falls, with calls for the establishment of a continental federation to promote local cuisines.

From Friday to Sunday, the resort city of Victoria Falls hosted a diverse range of tourism stakeholders, including UN Tourism officials, government ministers, tourism players, traditional leaders, and government departments.

President Mnangagwa was the guest of honor at Friday’s official opening, which was attended by three First Ladies: Auxilia Mnangagwa and her counterparts from Angola and Serbia.

At the forum, delegates – mostly chefs, restaurant owners, and hospitality industry operators – emphasized the need for collaboration in Africa to promote gastronomy.

Carl Joshua Ncube, a chef who once resided in Victoria Falls, called for the free movement of cuisines across borders.

“We have to remove borders if we are to address the challenges that we are experiencing in terms of gastronomy in Africa,” he urged.

“We can’t be saying this is Ethiopian food, this is Zimbabwean food. Food in Africa is not just something you put on our tables, it is part of our religions, our culture.”

Chef Mounir El Arem from Tunisia stressed that collaboration will make gastronomy more durable.

“To promote African gastronomy, we need to make an international appeal for a federation of cuisine Africa,”

“Countries need to have a federation of African cuisine, and my message to chefs is that let’s wear that white shirt everywhere.”

Chef Elijah Amoo Addo from Ghana highlighted the need to change the perception of chefs as uneducated.

“Chefs are doctors in the kitchen, as we have diverse knowledge on the nutritional value of the foods we have.”

He also emphasized the challenges posed by tight borders.

“One challenge that we face as Africa in the gastronomy has to do with tight borders. It is easy for me to travel to Europe to explore the economy and culture there than to travel across the borders within Africa, mostly due to visa issues. These challenges hinder the promotion of gastronomy on our continent, and there is a very important need for us to work together to break these borders in order to choose and use our ingredients within and across borders.”

Tourism Minister Barbara Rwodzi closed the event, stating that it marked the beginning of bigger things in African gastronomy.

In the community

Hwange police seek public’s help in locating missing teen

Published

2 weeks ago

May 15, 2025

VicFallsLive

BY STAFF REPORTER

The Hwange police are urgently seeking the public’s assistance in locating 16-year-old Latoya Lisa Munkuli, who went missing on May 7, this month.

Latoya, a dark-complexioned female juvenile, was last seen leaving her residence in Hwange around 4 pm.

She was wearing a distinctive outfit consisting of green trousers and a white T-shirt, and carried a black satchel. She stands approximately 1.6 meters tall.

Inspector Glory Banda of the Hwange police is leading the investigation and urges anyone with information about Latoya’s whereabouts to come forward.

If you have any information about Latoya’s disappearance, please contact Inspector Banda on 0785961747 or 0771256607.

National

Coal train in flames: NRZ locomotive damaged in fire incident

Published

1 month ago

April 16, 2025

VicFallsLive

BY WANDILE TSHUMA

A National Railways of Zimbabwe (NRZ) locomotive suffered significant damage after catching fire while transporting export coal to Zambi. The incident occurred between Kalala and Matetsi sidings, resulting in the explosion of the locomotive’s fuel tanks.

According to the NRZ press statement on Monday, “A National Railways of Zimbabwe locomotive suffered some damages after it caught fire this afternoon while transporting export coal to Zambia.” Fortunately, the crew members on board managed to escape unharmed.

The NRZ responded swiftly to the incident, dispatching a rescue train with crews to the site. The team successfully extinguished the fire, preventing further damage. However, the locomotive itself sustained considerable damage.

The cause of the fire is yet to be determined, with investigations currently underway. “Investigations are already underway to establish the cause of the fire and the amount of damage to the locomotive,” the NRZ statement read.

In the community

Human-wildlife conflict claims 18 lives in Zimbabwe’s first quarter

Published

1 month ago

April 16, 2025

VicFallsLive

BY NOKUTHABA DLAMINI

The Zimbabwe Parks and Wildlife Management Authority (ZimParks) has reported a disturbing trend of human-wildlife conflict in the country’s first quarter of 2025. According to the authority, 18 people have lost their lives, and 32 others have been injured in encounters with wildlife.

ZimParks spokesperson Tinashe Farawo revealed that the authority received 579 cases of human-wildlife conflict, which they managed to respond to promptly. The incidents have also resulted in significant livestock losses, with at least 53 cattle and 85 goats killed by wildlife.

The districts most affected by these incidents include Binga, Hwange, Kariba, Chiredzi, Hurungwe, Nyaminyami, and Mbire. ZimParks has been working tirelessly to raise awareness about wildlife behaviors and effective preventive measures in these areas.

In response to the crisis, ZimParks has translocated 129 animals back into protected areas and eliminated 158 animals deemed problematic.

“We encourage communities to continue reporting incidents to ZimParks Problem Animal Control numbers and local leadership, such as Councillors, Traditional Leaders, and Rural District Council Authorities, to ensure that we preserve lives,” Farawo urged.

The significant increase in livestock losses, with cattle deaths rising from 18 to 53 and goat deaths from 21 to 85 compared to the same period in 2024, highlights the growing challenge of human-wildlife conflict in Zimbabwe.

ZimParks’ efforts to mitigate the conflict include community initiatives to educate people on managing wildlife encounters effectively.