Down on the Farm

PHOTO CAPTIONS: Extracting palm oil from fruit; Paul and Emil; Shakwanga (cooked cassava); Cassava roots (raw); Carole and Jane chow down.

Last week, Carole, Abbey and I were invited to Paul Meteta's for a picnic. Paul is Congolese, works for the embassy, and is very Americanized. Two of his kids are studying in the U.S. He got his own degree in environmental science from a university in South Africa. Paul and his wife Mary own a 15 hectare farm about an hour's drive from here, maybe about 20 miles away on some tough roads.

Paul uses solar power for the bulk of his energy needs. He is in the process of installing a water wheel system to utilize the resources off a small creek that feeds into the Congo River. He has several fishing ponds that he maintains. The locals work his land for the cassava (manioc in Lingala) crop, the most popular produce in Congo, not only the roots, but also for the leaves. The mature roots are harvested, then boiled in water for three days to get rid of the poison in them. Then they can be served as shakwanga or dried, then pounded into a powder which is made into a flat bread, called foufou. Cassava is a staple in the Congolese diet because it is so filling, regardless of the food value. The cassava leaves are pounded into a mixture called pondu, then cooked with palm oil and served as a green vegetable. Palm oil is a highly desirable product and sold for $20.00 a litre.