Documentary screening

Cassava in the Gbaya Region

This film dedicated to cassava shows the traditional wisdom of a culture : the Gbaya of Central African Republic who do the best use of their natural environment without worrying about productivity or rentability, and have a wide variety of products at their disposal for food. Central Africa appropriated this staple which was often ben devaluated and gave it a central place in their diet. In fact they have innovated by soaking cassava to make flour and eating cassava leaves, two unknown technics in Central America its country of origin. Cassava combines several advantages : it is simple to grow, it produces roots all year around, it is quickly prepared and is easily stored. Its a very nutricious food rich in carbohydrate and is an excellent base for a meal if served with a real dish, as in the Gbaya Region. At a time when they denounced the hunger one sets out to solve a food assistance, the author wants to show that in Central Africa, traditional cultures maintain a harmonious relationship with their environment. The Gbaya traditional culture is a good example of how biodiversity can be exploited as well as preserved.