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| Slow Food Foundation for Biodiversity |
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14/07/2009 |
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A Kenyan Community Comes To Italy
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 From July 13 to 23 2009 a group of five producers from the community of Mucunu chicken farmers will be visiting Italy. They live in the Molo Highlands in western Kenya’s Rift Valley, an area seriously affected by the post-electoral violence of 2007.
Kenya is one of the most important African countries for Slow Food with its 9 convivia, 140 members, 27 food communities and 11 school gardens.
The Kenyan delegation, led by Slow Food Vice-President John Kariuki (a student at the University of Gastronomic Sciences originally from Kenya), will have a packed program of visits and training events in Italy.
The group will first be welcomed by Luca Fabbri (Member of the national secretariat of Slow Food Italy, of the Board of Directors of the Slow Food Foundation for Biodiversity and member of the Board of Slow Food Tuscany) and by a group of Valdarno Chicken Presidium producers, particularly Francesca Farin. The Kenyan delegation will visit the Valdarno Chicken Presidium, the Presidium for Pistoia Mountain Pecorino and some producers from the San Minato Earth Market (Pisa), guided by Renzo Malvezzi, Earth Markets coordinator for Slow Food Tuscany.
On July 16 the Kenyan producers will be hosted by Bistrot del Mondo at Castello dell'Acciaiolo in Scandicci (Florence).
The visitors will then travel to Liguria, where Slow Food convivium leader Barbara Schiffini, supported by Federico Barli, Provincial Minister of Agriculture and Tourism of the Province of La Spezia, will accompany them on a visit to the community of the Vara Valley Black Hen, with a diversion en route to the Cinque Terre (where they will be able to see the sea for the first time in their lives).
Luciano Spagnaro, coordinator for the Black Hen community, will welcome the delegation to Casaletti, near Varese Ligure.
Next stop is the Antica Corte Pallavicina in Polesine Parmense (Parma), where they will attend the “Night of the Culatelli”, a traditional event organized by the Spigaroli family who make a donation every year to the Slow Food Foundation for Biodiversity. Here, Arnaldo Maghenzani, leader of Parma Slow Food Convivium will welcome the Kenyan delegation.
The 2009 donation will be given to the Kenyan farmers to help them set up a Presidium for Mucunu chicken, and in particular for the purchase of an incubator and other equipment.
A strange-looking poultry species, the mucunu features a completely featherless neck and head. These heavy birds have long, elongated bodies and feathers ranging from black to white, red and blue.
The chickens weigh about 3 or 4 kg and are very popular due to their tasty meat, size and because the hens are excellent brooders. The eggs are small with a light brown shell and deep yellow yolk tending to red.
At the end of the program the delegation travels to Rome, thanks to the assistance of Rossella Angius (Slow Food Fiumicino convivium).
Slow Food Coordinators in Kenya:
Jane Karanja
Jane_karanja2001@yahoo.com
tel. +254715639223
Peter Namianya
penami78@yahoo.com
tel. +254711219873
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