The Republic of Uganda, in East Africa, is home to over 50 ethnic groups, each of which has an original food culture adapted to the natural environment. Staple foods vary by region in Uganda. For example, northern Uganda is semi-arid and people tend to cultivate drought-resistant grains, such as maize and sorghum. By contrast, southern Uganda is tropical savanna and people tend to cultivate plantains, Irish potatoes, and sweet potatoes.
This presentation is focused on the largest ethnic group in Uganda, the “Ganda”, who have built an agricultural society based on plantains (bananas); the Ganda are the largest consumers of bananas in the world. They create banana plantations around their houses, where they also plant mixed crops of cassava, sweet potatoes, and maize as subsistence crops, to maintain their livelihoods.
In Ganda society, meals consist of starchy staple foods, with a stew side dish. For one meal, multiple staple foods are cooked. Starchy staples include plantains, Irish potatoes, cassava, and sweet potatoes. Matoke (mashed banana) is a staple food that is recognized as indispensable for celebrations such as weddings and Christmas. People dip the starchy staple food in a stew made from beans, ground nuts, fish, and chicken.
Interviews reveal that Ganda people show strong preferences for specific combinations of staple foods and stews. This presentation clarifies the selection of ingredients for cooking by the Ganda.