A recent study has revealed that many African parents now rely on funeral foods to survive.
According to the research ‘Funeral Feasts: A Coping Mechanism in Times of Economic Hardship’, nearly 60% of families in Ghana, Nigeria, and South Africa admit to attending funerals primarily for the food.
‘Funerals have become a vital source of sustenance for many families. The truth is a lot of families will have to go hungry for days if there are no funerals’, Dr. Ama Osei Ampofo, lead researcher said while sharing exclusive details of the yet-to-be published study with Kasatintin.com.
The study found that the average family attends at least three funerals per month, with some attending as many as ten, and the most popular traditional funeral foods the attendees take home are:
– Jollof rice (87%)
– Fufu (78%)
– Fried plantains (65%)
– Goat meat (58%)
– Vegetable soup (52%)
One mother of three, said ‘I don’t know what I’d do without funerals. The food is delicious, and it’s one less meal I have to worry about’.
However, experts warn that relying on funeral foods may have negative consequences on families’ health and well-being.
‘While funerals can provide temporary relief, they are not a sustainable solution to food insecurity’, said Dr. Osei Ampofo ‘We need to address the root causes of poverty and ensure that families have access to nutritious food and economic opportunities’.
The findings of the study have sparked a national conversation about the state of the economy and the role of funerals in African culture. As one Twitter user put it, ‘Funerals are now a meal ticket #FoodForThought’.
SOURCE: Kasatintin.com
