UN Tourism wants to promote Africa as a gourmet destination

Many people in Africa eat just to survive, but UN Tourism wants us to focus on the continent as a gourmet destination. 

The junket kings from this organisation often post media releases full of politically correct posturing, but lacking in serious content. 

UN Tourism has just completed its inaugural Regional Forum on Gastronomy Tourism for Africa - in that hotbed of gourmet delights: Zimbabwe.

The organisation described the forum as "marking a significant step forward for both the continent and the host nation". 

But wait, There's more. "The forum also highlighted Zimbabwe’s commitment to leveraging gastronomy as a catalyst for sustainable tourism development across the country and Africa."

The forum brought together around 200 junketeers (sorry, delegates) from 33 countries, including 11 ministers and deputy ministers, the African Union, the Southern African Development Community (SADC) and the Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO).

"It is only right we now meet in one of the world’s most exciting gastronomy regions - Africa," said UN Tourism secretary-general Zurab Pololikashvili, his tongue firmly in cheek. 

The national dish of Zimbabwe is sadza (top image), a blend of white cornmeal and water that has a stiff porridge consistency.  It is most unlikely to have gastronomes in raptures.

The World Food Programme reports that an estimated 6 million people in Zimbabwe are expected to be food insecure during 2024-2025 lean season.

Would it be unfair to suggest that be addressed first?

But no. 

"We leave Victoria Falls with a roadmap that will enable us to build an Agenda for Gastronomy Tourism in Africa, to ensure that we do work to make gastronomy tourism benefit people and planet.”

Participants discussed the need for effective funding and the significance of combining tradition, innovation, and quality to create unique food tourism experiences. Bizarre, to say the least.