Chapter 1   Page 1.

THE MAIN FOODS STAPLE CEREALS.

RICE, Oryza sativa Linn. (mano (M)) is the main staple. Much of it is imported, but it is also grown in the wet season in rain-fed swamps often far from the villages. Outside the tidal influence of the River Gambia, i.e. where the water is fresh, irrigation is used so that rice can be grown all the year round. Rice is eaten throughout the year and is the preferred staple. Newly harvested rice is eaten from October, and as the dry season progresses, more rice is purchased, as the locally grown stocks run out well before the next harvest. In the areas where rice is grown during the dry season in irrigated fields, this is less likely to occur.

MILLET is a major cereal. Two types of bulrush or pearl millet are.

distinguished locally, Pennisetum typhoideum (sanyo or matejo (M)) and Pennisetumgambiense (suno (M)). P. typhoideum is most frequently cultivated in the Mandinka areas in the Lower River Division. It requires less moisture than P. gambiense and suffers less depredation by birds. P gambiense is grown predominantly on the North Bank and it germinates and ripens earlier than P. typhoideum la.
Sanyo is eaten practically throughout the year although it is less common nowadays, being displaced by rice. It was previously eaten especially in July, August and September by the poorest sections of the populations as they would not have been able to buy rice when home-grown stocks ran out.

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SORGHUMS are not the preferred food but are valuable as they are more hardy and require less water than the millets. Sorghum is frequently provided as relief food to The Gambia. Sorghum gambicum Snowden, commonly known as the red variety, (basso (M) or bassi (W)), grows in two forms, Wendo (M), which has a tall thin stalk and is planted in May, June and July and Bambarang basso (M), which has a short stalk and is planted later and needs less rain.
Sorghum margaritiferum Stapf. is f I/ Sorghum.usually known as the white variety and as kinto (M) or kinti (W). It is the one commonly grown in West Kiang.Sorghums are eaten throughout the year, depending on local planting differences.

MAIZE, Zea mays Linn. (Tubanyo, tubab-nyo, manyo (M)) has a very short season and is grown in small quantities in small plots near the compounds where it can be protected from birds. It is nevertheless a vital crop in that it is the first to mature and breaks a period of food shortage that occurs in nearly all areas of The Gambia each year.

FINDO, Digitaria exilis Stapf., (Findo (M) or.Findiba (W)) sometimes called `hungry rice', is a cultivated grass which is planted early and harvested soon after the maize. It is very popular but does not feature.as a major food in the diet except immediately after the harvest, as it is the first crop to mature in the season and breaks the period of shortages and austerity. It is eaten from the end of September through October and November especially but also until about March, by which time most stocks have run out. It is now only grown in some areas in some years.

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JAJEO,Amplocera amplectens, a grass that grows wild, was collected for its seed in August and September some years ago (Gordon, 1944 12) and it may still be used in remoter parts e.g. Northern bank of the River Gambia in times of shortage. It was also recorded by Gamble (1955 9).

WHEAT, Triticum spp. (Farinyo (M)) is distributed occasionally as an aid food and wheat flour (fariny munko) is available for purchase at the coast.

VEGETABLES.

A wide variety of vegetables is eaten, details of which are given in the Glossary of Vegetables (Chapter 3).

Leaf vegetables, which are mainly gathered from the bush, are restricted to the rainy season and are therefore most commonly eaten from June to October. However, Action Aid and other organisations have recently organised women's groups and introduced intensive vegetable gardening in most provincial areas of the Lower River Division and North Bank Division. This includes cabbage, lettuce, onions, tomatoes, peppers and carrots for both cash sales and some home consumption.

`Fruit' vegetables, which are planted in vegetable gardens near the house, such as bitter tomato (jato), tomato (mentengo), garden egg (patanseo), onion (jabo) and okra (kanjo) are more frequently eaten during the dry season (November until June). Only people with dry season vegetable gardens (usually away from the house with wells near them) will have fruit vegetables during the second half of this period.

Root vegetables, such as cassava (nyambo) and yam (kunyambo), are eaten in small quantities and are useful in that they are available during the rainy season before the cereal crops are harvested. A large mushroom (tongtosubo) grows in profusion near the groundnut factory, while in August to October, a very small type grows in association with termite hills.

Nuts and seeds, of which groundnuts (tio) are by far the most important. They are the chief cash crop, and also make a valuable contribution to the diet. They are the main ingredient of most sauces eaten with the staple, and are also eaten as a snack food. They are used throughout the year, but less frequently in August and September when the new crop is planted but not yet harvested. Groundnuts are planted in June and early July when the first rains arrive. It takes three months to harvest time. Beans (soso) are used to a small extent.

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FRUITS.

Many different types of fruit are eaten (see Glossary, Chapter 3) in small quantities, mostly at the end of the dry season and the start of the rains. Mangoes (tubab-duto) are one of the most important, being available particularly in May and June, and oranges (nemuno) are in good supply from November to February. Locust beans (netto) and baobab (sito) are widely used. Some fruits are gathered wild from the bush, such as tamarind (kosito), man's head (manankaso), sour sop (sungkungo) and bush mango (duto). Others are grown mainly on the coast, and are not widely available inland e.g. banana (banano), avocado pear (ovacado), rhun palm (sibo), gingerbreed plum (tamba) and limes (lemuna mesengo).

The seeds of several fruits, e.g. cashew (casuo), locust bean (netto), baobab (sito), gingerbreed plum (tamba) are also eaten, often by pounding and using in sauces in addition to, or instead of, groundnuts.

OIL 
Groundnut oil (tia tulo) is the most frequently used; palm oil (teng tulo).is also used, while the use of ghee (clarified butter fat) (ninsi tulo) is mostly confined to areas where cows are owned (particularly by the Fula tribe). Wolof and Aku people at the coast tend to eat more oil than people inland. Oil is often bought for festive occasions e.g. marriage or naming ceremonies, Tabaski or during Ramadan. It is also sometimes provided for visitors or those helping with clearing or digging land. Most people use oil in December and January when they have more money than at other times from the sales of their cash crop of groundnuts.

FISH.

FISH (nyeo, yeo) is eaten more frequently than meat. It is used fresh at the coast, but inland fresh fish supplies are limited, depending on the state of the roads or proximity to the main road, or on local fishermen's success and the proximity to the river or tributary (bolong). Details of the types of fish eaten are given in Chapter 3. The marine, herring-like bonga (chalyo) is by far the most frequently eaten fish and it is often dried or smoked. Other popular fish are the small sprat-like furo and even smaller furundingo. Spanish fish (kujalo), which is usually dried, is also fairly common. Other freshwater fish are also obtained from village fishermen.

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SHELLFISH (mboso, mbosingo, fankoso) are collected at the start of the rice harvest from the bolongs near the rice fields. Oysters (nganya (M), yohos (W)) are gathered off the stems of the mangrove plants and are baked or smoked before sale in the markets. Crabs (nyankaro) and snails (misalingo) are also collected, especially in April.

OTHER FOODS.

MEAT (subo) is in great demand but is usually scarce and therefore high in price in the villages. It is usually beef (ninsi subo), but may also be sheep (saji subo) especially at Moslem festivals, goat (baa Bubo), chicken (siseo subo), bush fowl (wolo subo) or antelope (menango subo) or bush meat (wulakono subo). Very occasionally monitor lizard (kana), porcupine (halo) or crocodile (bambo) are eaten. Pork (sawo) is eaten only by nonMoslems, particularly Manjagos. Children under two years rarely eat meat.

MILK (kekeo) is available in areas where cows are kept, though it usually is in short supply. It is more scarce in the dry season, when the cows have less food. It is usually left to go sour (ninsi nono kumungo) and is then used in sauces and porridges (monos). Even when available, the cost.

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prohibits its widespreed use as a food for children. Goat's milk (ba kekeo) is also sometimes used.

SALT (ko) is purchased at the coast but inland it is made from washings from salty soil from a river tributary (bolong). The soil washings are decanted off and boiled nearly dry and then dried thoroughly in the sun. Salt is also produced ac the salt flats beside the bolongs by leaving bowls of water to evaporate in the sun. If the liquid is first filtered through an unglazed earthenware pot, the product is whiter. Salt is added to most foods.

SUGAR (sukuro) is very popular as an addition to gruels (monos) and thicker porridges (churo and sato) and is bought when sufficient money is available.

HONEY (lio) is gathered from wild bees and is used like sugar in gruels and porridges. It is used also for medicinal purposes.

OTHER FLAVOURINGS Chilli pepper (kano) is the most common flavour in sauces, in addition to salt, but white pepper is becoming more widely used. Bay leaf (lorie) is used at the coast and occasionally inland. Locust bean seeds (tulingo) are frequently used as flavourings, as are baobab leaf (naa) and sour leaf (kucha). Tomato paste is used particularly in areas where there are trading centres. Stock cubes are a more recent.

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introduction to sauces, and are now frequently added to tia durango and to jambo but not to kucha.

BREAD (mburo) is available in most trading centres and occasionally in villages. It is the white variety and made in the French style with soft wheat so it does not keep well.

MEAL PATTERNS.

Food preparation and cooking takes place in units within the family structure (sinkiro), each sinkiro having its appointed cook(s) and cooking hut. There maybe more than one sinkiro per family. The women and young children share a food bowl together, as do the men and older boys in a separate hut.

There are two main meals a day when there is sufficient food available. These are lunch (kontongo) in the middle of the day and dinner (simango) in the evening. These usually consist of the main cereal dishes of fajiringo, nyelengo, futo or serengo, plus a sauce such as durango, kucha or jambo, often with fish. In the farming season, lunch is taken to the fields and more usually consists of nyankantango or futo. Breakfast (dasamo) is sometimes taken if there is leftover food from the previous evening, or mono is made for young children. During Ramadan, a predawn meal (suro) maybe eaten, and the first meal after sunset (mingjio) is typically based on mono.

Between-meal snacks vary according to season. Groundnuts are eaten particularly at harvest time, and also those which are unsuitable for planting in June and July. They are scarce between planting and harvesting months. Roasted maize cobs have a short season just after harvesting in September. Parched rice flakes (dempetengo) are cooked and eaten in the field only during the rice harvest. Boiled cassava pieces are prepared as a snack, and fried pancakes are available in some centres. Mangoes are plentiful and popular in May and June. Afew wild fruits are still gathered from the bush.

INFANT FEEDING.

Breast-feeding is the usual way of infant feeding in rural areas, and continues to 18-24 months. Mixed feeding starts around 3 months, the first foods being thin cereal gruels (monos) usually with sugar added, and sometimes sour milk. Cow's milk, fresh (ninsi nono), not sour, is only.

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occasionally given under one year, and then mainly in families with access to cattle herds or sufficient money to buy it 29. Infants start to take handsful of food from the family food bowl from about 6 months of age, although fish is not given until the second year. Breast milk (sunju nono) remains an important food up until the time the child is fully weaned.

SEASONALITY OF THE DIET.

The annual farming calendar determines to a large extent the seasonal eating pattern in rural Gambia. The cereal crops are harvested between September and December so food supplies are particularly plentiful in November and December, while in July and August food shortages often occur; this time is known traditionally as `the hungry season'. In addition, much of the farm work is undertaken by the women.

This influences the time that is available for cooking, which further restricts the types of food that can be prepared during the farming season. The annual pattern may best be considered in terms of dry season and.

wet season diet, the wet season being described in some detail, as it changes considerably with each month as the different crops are prepared and harvested.

DRY SEASON DIET.

From January until the end of June the diet consists mainly of rice but also the other staples, as all are available. There are few leaf vegetables available during this period except those grown in watered vegetable gardens, and these would not be reedy until April or May. Nebedayo and cassava leaves would be available, but leaf sauces (jambo) are not frequently eaten during this period, chiefly because there is plenty of other food available. There is also money available for buying such items as oil, meat and dried fish in the early part of the year. Shortages begin to be felt in June; in some areas there may be shortages of groundnuts as early as March.

WET SEASON DIET.

This varies considerably month by month as follows:.

June 
Shortages of food are alreedy being felt. Most people would be eating sanyo or bought rice. During this period when groundnuts.

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Seasonality of Foods. (This page can not be displaced.)

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are being planted, those nuts unsuitable for planting would be used in sauces, and if there are any left over after planting these would also be eaten. Leaves such as nebedayo, suro and kucha will be available for sauces. Land is prepared in this month and some sowing takes place especially findo and early millet and maize. The women will be busy hoeing the swamps and preparing the rice nurseries.

July.
A very busy month for planting groundnuts and millets. Food shortages would be apparent now in the poorer homes. Groundnuts unsuitable for planting are still eaten. Sanyo was, until recently, the main staple used in this month but the cereal is now more usually.

futo with milk) or mani fajiringo and durango. Occasionally people.

time as it is a convenient dish to take to the bush, but the most commonly eaten dishes at this time are futo and jambo (occasionally.

Nyankantango made with locust bean seeds (netetuo) is used at this.

as leaves are plentiful, especially nebedayo, suro and kucha.

bought imported rice. Durango andjambo are the main sauces used.

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will resort to eating sanyo futo (but not rice) with only water and salt if there are no groundnuts for a sauce. Some families depend on free kinto provided through the village chief (Alkalo) from Government sources.

Fruits and vegetables available: locust bean powder, a few mangoes, duto, tabo, kaba, fresh baobab leaves (which are also dried to keep for futo), kucha, nebedayo and suro.

August 
The first part of the month is occupied with.

planting the remaining groundnuts and the rest of the month is spent weeding crops and transplanting rice seedlings. During the beginning of August the diet would.

be the same as July. As.

the groundnuts are used up (mainly as tia durango), the adults as.

well as the children eat ~ „ ""\\ \ I.

sanyo mono more frequently because of the.

Transplanting Rice.

lack of groundnuts for sauce. In general even less rice is used and more sanyo mono and futo, and there is greater dependence on free bulghur wheat and sorghum. Wild cassava (kunyambo) is eaten at this time (boiled and eaten with salt).

Fruits and vegetables available: duto, ninkongo, bunbango, tabo, kaba, kutufingo, fole, jambanduro, nebedayo, suro and a little kucha, also beans and fresh pumpkin and some okra.

September 
Shortages of food continue until the maize crop is harvested in the middle of the month (or inland, from the end of August until midSeptember). Weeding and scaring birds off the rice are the main chores until the maize harvest. Later in the month findo is reedy if it was planted and inland some early millet may be available. The diet continues to consist of sanyo mono or futo, or imported rice for those who can afford it, or donated kinto until the maize harvest: then most people eat maize and later in the month findo, if it is available. The maize is eaten on the cob, roasted or boiled, or as futo.

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The sauces used are still mainly vegetable, particularly sour leaves (kucha) with the addition of a few groundnuts from the wild tia bano. Many people eat nyankantango at this time.

Fruits and vegetables available: duto (only a few now), ninkongo, kutufingo, fole, avocado pear (mainly at the coast), nebedayo, jambanduro and especially kucha.

October 
Findo is still being harvested in the early part of the month, also early millet, and the early species of rice is harvested throughout the month. The birds need a constant watch as they take a large amount of the crop if not scared away. The first planted groundnuts (burukuso) are reedy at the beginning of the month and the main crop is reedy later in the month and into November. Much less sanyo is eaten during this month, in places where people have findo from the new crop. Most of the maize is eaten immediately it is harvested. Findo is eaten with durango or domoda or as findi mono, findi bukolo or nyankantango. Towards the end of the month, when the rice harvest is well under way, mani fajiringo and durango or domoda feature largely in the diet. Kinto will be available to those who have planted it and the millet crops will be reedy inland.

Fruits and vegetables available: kutufingo, sito, tallo, nebedayo, jambanduro, kucha (plentiful).

November 
Most women are busy harvesting the rice during this month, and children who are old enough will be scaring birds. Since the rice fields are often several miles from the village, food may be cooked in the field and the women get back late in the evening around dusk. The men are busy lifting groundnuts and harvesting the remainder of the early millet crop (which would be completed inland). Towards the end of the month vegetable gardens are prepared and planted and the main millet crop harvested. There are no food shortages now and nearly everyone eats rice or findo with durango. Tiakere churo is eaten frequently at this time and fish are available once again (as the taxis bringing fish from the coast can get along the roads) and a few people will have time to fish in the bolong or collect shellfish whilst at the rice fields.

Fruits and vegetables available: tamba, tallo, oranges (nemuno), pawpaw (pakaia), borassus fruits (sibo) at the coast, limes (lemuna mesengo), fresh pumpkin (or squash) (njengo), leaves such as nebedayo and jambanduro, but sour leaves (kucha) are now scarce. A few people may have tomatoes and bitter tomatoes reedy.

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December 
The sanyo crop is harvested, also kinto and bambarang basso, and there is continued harvesting of groundnuts. Tomatoes and bitter tomatoes are available.

January 
Sanyo is still being harvested, also cassava. Tomato and bitter tomatoes mature.