A 2018 presentation at the height of the Namibian drought on the appeal and usefulness of natural food sources.

1. Food certainty
A lighter look at stark realities

2. How we go about this
• Uncommon journeys to here
• Hunger is a global disaster
• Once upon a time
• San ethnography: beehives or termite mounds?
• Count proteins, not calories
• On the menu: from salty to sticky
• The emperor does have clothes on
• Look up for vitamins
• Challenging our taste buds, one at a time
• Gathering food like an expert
• Softer choices for the palate
• Peeking through the fog of the future – towards cyborg beetles

3. Uncommon journeys to here

4. Hunger is a global disaster
• An estimated 821 million people globally were undernourished in 2017.
• About 41,2 million people in 13 Southern African countries now suffer food
insecurity as a result of disasters following upon two cyclones and persistent
drought.
• These countries harvested 37,5 million tons of grain in the 2018/2019 production
season, which was 5,4 million tons fewer than the volume needed for consumption
in a year.
• Production in Namibia fell with 53% over the last year.
• For the SADEC region, food insecurity increased 28% over the last year.

5. Once upon a time

6. San ethnography: beehives or termite
mounds?

7. Count proteins, not calories
• Globally, 1,900 species of insects are consumed by 2 billion
people across 113 countries.
• Africa has around 500 edible insects.
• Insects are protein-rich.
• Insects are high in fibre, calcium, iron and zinc.
• Insect harvesting serves towards economic empowerment.
• Man Eating Bugs: The Art and Science of Eating Insects,
by Peter Menzel and Faith D’Aluisio; Het
Insectenkookboek, by Arnold van Huis, Henk van Gurp
and Marcel Dicke.

8. On the menu: from salty to sticky
• Most popular insect families enjoyed in
Namibia: Lepidoptera (butterflies & moths);
Orthoptera (locusts), Coleoptera (beetles), and
Isoptera (termites).
• Six legs, three body parts, a covering shell and
a pair of antennae.
• The locust is a healthier choice.
• Insects win the race in species count.

9. Termites are not ants

10. The emperor does have clothes on

11. Look up for vitamins
• Globally, one billion people depend on wild vegetables
for food.
• Sub-Saharan Africa has 447 varieties of edible trees.
• Namibia - a random check yields 18 popular edible
tree/plant species spread across the country.
• On offer are food, roots for coffee and snacks.
• Distribution map 1C:Work_2019Windhoek
presentationDistribution map of Shepherd tree.pdf
• Distribution map 2C:Work_2019Windhoek
presentationDistribution map of Wild pear.pdf
Scientific name Common name
Annona stenophylla Dwarf custard-apple
Berchemia discolor Bird plum/Brown ivory/Bruin Ivoor
Tylosema esculentum Gemsbok bean/boon/Marama bean
Grewia avellane Kerbblättriger Roseninstrauch/Omukopakopa
Grewia flavescens Sandpaper raisin
Grewia schinzii Shaggy raisin
Strychnos pungens Corky Monkey-orange/Geelklapper
Strychnos spinosa Spiny Monkey-orange/Stekelblaarklapper
Ximenia Americana Blue Sourplum
Ziziphus mucronate Buffalo thorn/ Blinkblaar Wag-‘n-Bietjie
Acacia hebeclada subsp. Hebeclada Candle-pod Acacia for edible gum
Acacia karroo Sweet thorn/Soetdoring for edible resin
Dombeya rotundifolia Wild Pear
Melianthus comosus Tintenbusch/Kruidjie-roer-my-nie for edible leaves
Trachyandra falcata
Namaqua wild
cabbage/Namakwakool/Veldkool/Bokkool
Boscia albitrunca
Shepherd tree/Weissstamm/Witgat roots used for
coffee
Acanthosicyos horridus Nara
Sclerocarya birrea Marula

12. Challenging our taste buds, one at a time
• Change diets, not paradigms.
• Necessity is the mother of invention.
• Start slow with pioneer foods.
• Change gears…think Delikatessen!
• Pairing – beer for salty cracks, and fruit of
the vine for sophistication.
• Change is not always bad.

13. Gathering food like an expert
• Learn about safe natural food sources within the
immediate environment.
• Pair with a trusted expert.
• Take the leather pouch for a walk in the veld.
• Exercise observation and sustainable harvesting
skills.
• Think poor, act frugal.
• Failing at first is all right, and should be fun!

14. Softer choices for the palate

15. Peeking through the fog of the future

16. Towards cyborg beetles

17. Closing
• Over the next ten years, wealthy people will enjoy ‘personalized nutrition’ services.
• Genetics and biomolecular science will have redressed nutritional shortcomings in
domesticated foods.
• Plant-based meat (vegan) will be the norm.
• Insect farming will be a growth industry, with the global market worth USD one billion by
2023. Edible Insects Market Size - Global 2018-2024 Growth Report.html
• Synthetic and printed foods will be “funky”.
• The future of gourmet insect restaurants is uncertain. Gourmet Grubb opens SA’s first all-
insect restaurant today - Food Stuff SA.html