ABSTRACT
More than 60% of the population of sub-Saharan Africa is smallholder farmers, and about 23% of sub-Saharan Africa’s GDP comes from agriculture. There are three staple ingredients in African cuisine: onions, tomatoes and hot peppers. The African food is so revered that the Igbo people and other West Africans hold annual celebrations called the Yam Festival. Okra is a popular ingredient throughout Africa and her diaspora. In West Africa, okra is used often as a thickening agent in soups and stews. The forced migration of Black people from Africa to the USA and Caribbean during the transatlantic slave trade meant that Black foods also travelled across the globe. The recipes and meals found in diaspora communities tell a rich history of the origins of enslaved Africans, the journey of the Middle Passage, the fight for emancipation, and the resilience and strength that defines the Black community in the US, South America and the Caribbean.
