– Zambia committed to promote African cuisine during UNWTO summit

 

Zambia committed to promote African cuisine during UNWTO summit

Livingstone, July 12,  2013, ZANIS — GOVERNMENT  is committed to the promotion
of African cuisine in order to  further boost tourism in Livingstone
during and after the United Nations World Tourism General Assembly
(UNWTO) in August this year, Minister of Tourism and Arts  Silvia Masebo has said.

Ms. Masebo said government recognizes the importance of promoting local
traditional foods to enhance Zambian cultural identity and tourism.

 

ZANIS reports that the Tourism minister said this during the graduation of more

than 110 women and three men in African Cuisine following a training programme organized by
Sylva Catering and Ministry of tourism held at Livingstone Lodge, today.

She observed that most tourists coming to Zambia do not only come to
see the Victoria Falls but also expect to taste African traditional
food.

Ms Masebo pointed out that the training programme was on-going and
aimed at empowering women to be self reliant and also be able to offer
traditional food to delegates during the UNWTO to earn an income.

She explained that preparation for the UNWTO has reached a critical
point adding that capacity building was one of the focus areas aimed
at making the event a success.

“Government is alive to the fact that traditional food play an
important role in promoting our culture indentify and hence enhance
tourism,” said Ms  Masebo.

“This training program is also government’s initiative to empower
women so that they become self reliant and be able to raise some money
during the global event and after the UNWTO”.

She observed that delegates coming for the event will have an
opportunity to sample local Zambian cuisine and noted with
satisfaction that the participants were trained in cardinal aspects
such as personal hygiene, cultural value of food entrepreneurship
among other topics.

Ms Masebo expressed hope that the knowledge and skill imparted in the
participants will help them to be employ themselves and employ others
and reduce poverty.

She said she expects Livingstone to the centre of African Cuisine
after the event adding that government will this year and in years to
come organize food fairs in Livingstone all aimed at promoting
traditional food which she noted was more nutritious and healthier
than western  fast foods.

And at the same function Livingstone Area Member of parliament Mr.
Lawrence Evans said challenged participants to open up restaurants to
provide Zambian traditional foods to delegates to the UNWTO.

Sylvia Catering Manager Ms Sylvia Banda said the skills imparted to
the women and men will help them to find employment in the hospitality
industry.