Today is World Food Day! World Food Day was endorsed in 1980 to acknowledge that “food is a requisite for human survival and well-being and a fundamental human necessity.” This is a day to highlight the global issues of starvation, malnutrition and poverty.
Unacceptably, some of the more isolated high Andean communities across the country struggle with these issues all too frequently.
One of the World Food Day objectives set by the FAO (Food and Agriculture Organisation) http://www.fao.org/getinvolved/worldfoodday/en/ is ‘to encourage the participation of rural people, particularly women and the least privileged categories, in decisions and activities influencing their living conditions.’
At Apus Perú our business is trekking the Andes. We do this on a ‘leave no trace’, sustainably and environmentally conscious basis. But what of the families whose paths we do cross? Those who live where we pass through?
From the onset, Apus Perú have supported local high Andean communities through the development and support of various projects from our mutual work with Threads of Perú, https://www.apus-peru.com/responsible-travel/community_projects.htm to our Annual Christmas Chocolatada: https://www.apus-peru.com/responsible-travel/christmas_chocolatadas.htm.
Every person who treks with Apus Peru donates $15 to Threads of Peru, or sustainability projects in the Andes. Since starting out, Apus Peru has donated close to $50,000 to Andean communities with the direct intention of alleviating poverty and more specifically, acknowledging and supporting the role that empowered women can play in facing sub standard conditions.
We firmly believe that the work we do with rural Andean communities greatly reduces the risk factors contributing to the core issues that World Food Day is all about. For more information about how Apus Perú and their partner NGO Threads of Perú address poverty in indigenous rural communities please visit: http://threadsofperu.com/missionandmodel/.
Now for a more ‘foody’ perspective… two staple produce of Perú; Quinoa and Potato, can be made into deliciously heart-warmingly, tasty recipes. Here are two of the best (and easiest) to try your hand at:
Risotto de Quinoa. Ingredients: onion, bacon, aji Amarillo, white, black AND red quinoa, (who knew?), chicken breast, salt, pepper, crema de leche (sour cream), cheese.
Now for the technique: Cover with cold water and bring the black, red and white quinoa to the boil until it is tender. Fry the chicken breast and cut it in parts. Fry the bacon, onion and aji Amarillo and put the quinoa in it. Add salt and pepper and fry it for a few seconds in the crema de leche. Serve on a plate with the chicken on top with a sprinkle of cheese for the final taste! YUM!
For the Papa Huancaina click on this page for a visual step by step recipe treat! http://perudelights.com/papa-a-la-huancaina/
Then once you have finished your delicious plates of Peruvian goodness, consider this for suggestions on how to limit your food waste: http://www.greenworks.co.za/reducefoodwastepage.html
Eat thoughtfully! Happy Trekking!!
