Shift in food preferences elicits rise in demand for traditional foods

Fildah Gwati

A GROWING appreciation for traditional foods’ dietary, health and cultural significance has triggered a rise in their demand amid revelations that many medical practitioners are prescribing indigenous food menus for their patients.

Knowledge Transfer Africa (KTA) Chief Executive Officer Dr Charles Dhewa said the increase in health-conscious food options among urban consumers was driving demand for traditional food like sadza made from sorghum, rapoko and many other traditional grains. Parirenyatwa Hospital prepares rapoko porridge for most patients once a week.

“The last time I checked, the hospital needs a 50kg bag rapoko mealie meal for a week’s porridge. Private hospitals like Avenues Clinic also serve traditional starches plus vegetables regularly in consultation with dieticians,” Dr Dhewa said.

Traditional foods have garnered attention for their exceptional nutritional profiles and health benefits. Many indigenous crops such as sorghum, millet, and cowpeas are rich in essential vitamins, minerals and dietary fiber. They are often resilient and adapted to local growing conditions, requiring less inputs like pesticides and fertilisers. The demand for traditional foods stems from a growing awareness of their nutritional superiority and potential to combat malnutrition and diet-related health issues.

“By promoting the cultivation and consumption of traditional foods, we are embracing a sustainable approach to food production and reducing reliance on imported or resource-intensive options,” he added.

Internationally, there is a growing interest in diverse and culturally significant cuisines. Zimbabwean traditional foods with their unique flavours and nutritional benefits are gaining recognition on the global culinary stage. This increased exposure and demand from international markets further contributes to the overall surge in demand within the country.

Government has recognised the importance of traditional foods and has taken steps to support their production and marketing through initiatives such as Pfumvudza, which have been implemented to promote traditional crops and enhance their value chains and encourage farmers to produce them.

Although farmers are adequately meeting demand for traditional foods, they are facing challenges, which include lack of mechanisation for labour-intensive activities like planting, weeding, harvesting, threshing and processing. They also feel the price offered by Grain Marketing Board (GMB) should be higher than that of maize.

“Some of the challenges include late payment by institutional buyers like GMB. It seems millers are getting paid more than farmers, as demonstrated through the pricing of a 5kg packet of mealie-meal from traditional grains at between US$5 and US$6, the equivalent of the price for a 10kg of maize meal. Such pricing disparities are rendering traditional grains a luxury and preserve of the few consumers that have money.

“Government should make consumption of traditional grains mandatory in boarding schools and colleges as a way of stimulating their consumption by young people who are the future consumers. When traditional grains become the staple, there will be investment in mechanisation along the entire value chains in response to rising demand,” explained Mr Dhewa.