Joint action presents work with PANC in French Guiana

Presenting the work that has been carried out in Brazil and exchanging experiences about traditional vegetables, which are more frequently called Non-Conventional Food Plants (PANC), were the main objectives of the trip to French Guiana, carried out from the 14th to the 20th of January 2018, undertaken by researcher Nuno Madeira, from Embrapa Hortaliças (Brasília, DF), in a joint mission with professor and botanist Valdely Kinupp, from the Federal Institute of Amazonas (IFAM) and with professor and gastrologist Michel Abras (Senac-MG ).

Among the activities carried out by the mission, the highlight was the seminar “Towards a diversified diet from wild and neglected plants”, presented at the Chamber of Industry and Commerce of Guyana (CICG). In front of an audience that brought together around 200 people, and with lectures in which the PANC were central figures, Madeira gave his message by speaking on the theme “Rescue and Promotion of Non-Conventional Vegetables”, anchored in the work carried out by Embrapa Hortaliças and its pairs. According to the researcher, who coordinates the activities, the interest shown by participants in this work exceeded expectations, as did the developments that followed the end of the event. And he exemplifies:

“The seminar was attended by government representatives, who invited us to replicate the approach to non-conventional vegetables in the auditorium of the Territorial Collective of Guyana, on which occasion Kinupp, the main reference in PANC in Brazil, presented his work and the book 'Unconventional Food Plants in Brazil” -authored by Kinupp and Lorenzi -, records the researcher.

The receptivity to the botanist's presentation, according to him, had its most perfect expression in the announcement made, on the occasion, by representatives of the government of French Guiana. “Not only were they willing to translate the book into French, they were also willing to guarantee the printing of a few thousand copies.” This perspective, in Madeira's opinion, can be increased with the establishment, soon, of a germplasm collection for the genetic conservation of these plant species found in Guyana, following the example of what is done by Embrapa Hortaliças.

It is worth mentioning that as a parallel activity to the seminar, two gastronomic workshops were held led by Senac-MG professor Michel Abras. The first at Liceu Melkior e Garré, in Cayenne, where a lunch was prepared that included four PANC-based dishes – starter, salad, main course and dessert –, shared by 35 people, including technicians and local government employees. The second workshop took place at Liceu Bertène Juminer, in Saint Laurent de Maroni (west of the country), with three preparations – two starters and a main course.

Hortipanc / opoetunidades  It was at the I Hortpanc (National Meeting of Non-Conventional Vegetables), promoted by Embrapa Hortaliças in 2017, that Philippe Jacolot, from the Directorate of Agriculture, Food and Forestry (DAAF), a body linked to the French Ministry of Agriculture, present at the event, inspired yourself to promote the realization of a similar one in your country.

“The flame has been lit, now we just have to wait for the developments of this new horizon of exchanging knowledge about the value of these plants”, highlights the researcher, when commenting on the possibility of opening new fronts of work with the PANC, following the example of the experience in French Guiana.