African Food, Art, and History Blog

Africa Rice Center helped develop New Rice for Africa or NERICA rice variety for planting in Sub-Saharan Africa’s dry-lands . Rice is a staple food in Africa, its growing importance is evident in the food security planning policies of many countries, and West Africa is the major contributor to rice production in Africa . Coumbayel Coulibaly displays a calabash full of the high-yielding New Rice for Africa variety. In 1992 the Africa Rice Center with benefactors, notably CGIAR, Gatsby Foundation, IFAD, Japan, Rockefeller Foundation, UNDP and World Bank began work on cultivating a new rice species.  AfricaRice developed a new breed of rice with desirable traits tailored to growing in the African climate . The new variety New Rice for Africa or NERICA now has 18 different varieties suitable for the upland (dry-land) rice ecology of sub-Saharan Africa. Rice is a staple food in Africa and its growing importance is evident in the food security planning policies of many coun

Age of Discovery, Portugal and the Transatlantic Slave Trade Portuguese in search of slaves, and other money making trading goods in Africa during The Age of Discovery. The Portuguese brought the first slaves in 1444 from Northern Mauritania in Africa. Age of Discovery, Portugal and the Transatlantic Slave Trade Born around 1394 Infante Dom Henrique de Avis also known as Henry the Navigator or Prince Henry is looked upon as a significant patron of the Age of Discovery. His father King John I conquered Ceuta in 1415. Ceuta is a small Spanish territory that lies just 18 miles from Gibraltar in North Africa.  Prince Henry wanted to expand the business opportunities of Portugal at the same time destroy the operational base of the dreaded and feared Barbary pirates. There was extensive trade in gold and salt across the Sahara Desert that Prince Henry wanted to control.  Prince Henry began an agenda to seek out direct sea trade routes to gain access to the gold

Cowpeas originated in Africa and is widely grown around the world. Cowpea is also commonly referred to as black-eyed pea or niébé.    Cowpeas Black-eyed peas listing of facts.    Cowpea is an important staple crop in sub-Saharan Africa, especially in arid Savannahs of West Africa and the Sahel.  Cowpeas are a valuable source of vegetable protein, vitamins as well as valuable income.  Western and Central Africa is the leading cowpea producing regions in the world producing around 64 percent of the estimated 3 million tons of cowpea seed produced each year.  Nigeria is the world’s leading cowpea producing country; Senegal, Niger, Ghana, Mali, Cameroon and Burkina Faso are significant also significant producers.  Niébé is a variety of cowpea grown by many women small farmers, throughout West Africa.  Black-eyed peas get their name from their characteristic appearance of a black dot in the middle of a cream colored bean.  The black-eyed pea is believed to have been introduced

Contemporary Art from Ghana and Zimbabwe Modern Fine art from Ghana and Zimbabwe Take a personal tour of a contemporary installation of Ghanaian and Zimbabwean Art. As Ghana celebrates fifty years of independence in 2007, the San Diego Museum of Man is collaborating with artists from Ghana and Zimbabwe to highlight artistic expressions of paintings and sculpture from accomplished African artists. Fifty years ago, independence movements started to sweep across the African continent, bringing to the newly independent nations the promise of political, economic, and cultural freedom from their colonial rulers. As Ghana celebrates fifty years of independence in 2007, the San Diego Museum of Man is partnering with artists from Ghana and Zimbabwe to showcase artistic expressions paintings and sculpture from accomplished African artists. Guest Curators Kwamina Ewusie, Peter Swaniker, and Joe Kinsella have selected a number of artists to participate, and the exhibit

Seth Dei, co-owner and founding board member of Blue Skies Ghana. Blue Skies is a producer of fresh fruit products in its factory near Nsawam Ghana.  Dei is a renowned Ghanaian Art collector talking about the huge opportunity in Art, his biography, how he became an Art collector, his Collaboration with New York University and his advice to up and coming Artists. Listen to a celebrated Ghanaian art collector, investor, and co-owner of Blue Skies Seth Kwasi Dei speak about his collection. A renowned Ghanaian businessperson and art collector, Seth Dei is the founder of the Dei Center for the Study of Contemporary African Art in Accra Ghana. He has dedicated his life to the collection and preservation of West African art, acquiring hundreds of paintings over the past decades. Dei believes the first priority for Ghana should be to build a new museum of contemporary art so the world can see what is here. Seth Dei described how he entered the art world: “

What is African Art African Art What is African art? If the answer seems self-evident it is not. What is African Art Explore and Understand Africa Through Her Food and Culture 8-7-2012 Art plays an essential role in the lives of the African people and their communities and people across the world.  What is African art? If the answer seems self-evident it is not.   What is African art? What is meant by ‘African’ is just a matter of geography or ethnicity?  Africa is a diverse continent of many cultures and African art falls under many headings as well. African art was once regarded as primitive art in museums. Each African artist has their own uniqueness providing a positive glimpse into the talent of Africa’s artists and their continuing inspiration on art and culture thru the world. South African artist Marcus Neustetter created Chasing Light in 2010 as a digital projection. Chasing Light has been presented as laser and glow

Famous Yoruba African Sculptor Olowe of Ise Yoruba carvings Olowe of Ise was born about 1875 in Efon-Alaiye, a town in eastern Yorubaland that was once a kingdom and one of the most important centers of Yoruba carving. Famous Yoruba African Sculptor Olowe of Ise Explore and Understand Africa Through Her Food and Culture 8-14-2012 The details Olowe of Ise early life and training in sculpture are not known. Olowe moved to Ise at a young age to serve the King as a court messenger. Yoruba carvings of Olowe of Ise Olowe of Ise  descendants claim he was self-taught, but it is likely that he learned the Yoruba canon and perfected his carving skills during an apprenticeship.  Eventually he became a master artist at the King's palace, and as his fame grew, other Yoruba kings and wealthy families commissioned him to carve architectural sculptures, masks, drums and other objects for their palaces. Among the Yoruba such elaborately carved and