Group 4 -Introduction

Main theme: food security

Almost all African traditional societies produced most of their own food, hence handling food security through availability. There were several varieties of all food types. However, with emergence of “development” concepts like specialization and productivity, many societies abandoned their traditional types for mass production of exotic varieties. The beginning was promising but subsequently the exotic varieties have not lived to their promise; many communities are impoverished and are food insecure. The exotoc types required more inputs than the traditional societies farthomed. Attention is now directed to the reintroduction of traditional varieties for sustained food security. Two areas that have attracted attention in this regard in the recent times are fish farming and indigenous vegetable production. Both areas need direction and enhancement.