GoodEater.org

 
 

What would you do if you went to the store, and there was no food on the shelves?  If global warming collapses the agricultural tables, for example, how will we get food into the inner-city?

I often ponder such questions as I live my life in the surreal environs of New York City, aware that I depend on a food economy with a high degree of specialization and oil dependency, where the average item travels 1,400 miles.  A recent visit to Lesotho exposed me to an amazingly simple and effective food trading system.  I am of course being somewhat facetious in order to prod, but just as the WHO proposes the “elbow bump” as a universal form of greeting should pandemic rack the earth, I propose the Lesotho-style “3-Flag System” should it turn out our society’s progress is actually the run-up to an environmental cliff-jump.

Lesotho is a tiny country entirely surrounded by South Africa.  It is arguably the poorest nation in the world, although it suffers from much less of the social decay and existential crises of its neighbor.  Lesotho has no currency, and no national infrastructure.  Instead, it has steep mountains and rivers.  Lesotho is a remnant of the traditional Xhosa herder-farmer lifestyle and was not disrupted by colonization and apartheid. 

Unless you are a medicine-woman, you grow vegetables, herd cows, and brew your own beer.

Here is the food system:

If you have an excess of vegetables, put a green flag over your roundhouse hut.


If you have an excess of meat, put up a red flag.

And if you have an excess of beer, put up a yellow or white flag.

After awhile, you’ll get an idea of who tends to have an excess of what, and you send them an instant message to see if they want to trade.  By IM’ing, I mean you send one or two kids.

I couldn’t stomach the pineapple beer they brew.  However, their greens are excellent.  Almost naturally garlicky – you just stir-fry with some salt and pepper.

So should we suddenly be forced to downgrade to one-step-up from hunter-gatherer, I think the Xhosas might have a few good tips to consider. 

I’ll be ready.  I moved to Brooklyn for the backyard, and I’ve got my green flags, so you Manhattanites better start brewing.


What would you do if the grocery shelves were empty tomorrow?

- Joshua

 


Comments

Will Bain

Thu, 23 Oct 2008 20:26:08

Probably one of the more interesting things I have read in a long time. However, what about grains/starch? And in addition to the greens, I think you could very easily raise chickens in your backyard. They eat trash and shouldn't have any natural predators (except maybe hawks?) in the city. An egg every 26 hours! Great stuff--thanks.

 

Frank

Fri, 24 Oct 2008 07:03:16

I would kill my duck....

 

Joshua Levin

Sun, 26 Oct 2008 15:30:21

Here's a different approach: http://www.brightfarmsystems.com/

 

Lewis

Mon, 27 Oct 2008 15:10:30

Good article and I always encourage people to learn more about Lesotho and it's culture.

FYI though, the statement: 'Lesotho is a remnant of the traditional Xhosa herder-farmer lifestyle and was not disrupted by colonization and apartheid' is very misleading. The Basotho are actually a different (albeit related) tribe from the Xhosa with a very different language. In fact, the very existence of Lesotho partly stems from fighting between the Basotho, the Zulu and the Xhosa.

Also: 'Lesotho has no currency, and no national infrastructure'.

Lesotho does have a national currency, the 'Maloti' of which they are very proud of. It is linked to the ZA rand 1 to 1. In terms of national infrasture, while limited, it does exist. A paved road almost circles the country and one of the largest dams in the world, the Katse Dam is based in the highlands.

I don't mean to come off as pedantic because it was an interesting post . . .

 

Joshua Levin

Mon, 27 Oct 2008 18:22:49

Hi Lewis,
Thank you for the clarifications. This was very helpful. I approached Lesotho as a tourist, rather than for work, so I may have missed a few things. The currency issue I see as most important, since it relates to my post. Thank you for identifying that. I traveled in the eastern portion of the country (bordering the Drakensberg), where there was no infrastructure, including no paved roads. The only roads I saw on the map were one or two in the West. There was also no paper currency, and no markets, and I was led to believe by my guides that that was generally the case in Lesotho; however, I also assume that that's different in the capital. How widespread is currency usage beyond Maseru?

Finally, my understanding was that the Basuto were originally Xhosa, but their identity developed into a subgroup once they fled to the land now known as Lesotho and resisted the Zulu. Is this the case?

 

Lewis

Tue, 28 Oct 2008 15:28:32

Hi Joshua,

Always happy to give advice and insight on Lesotho. For your context, I lived there for almost 3 years as a Peace Corps Volunteer and fell in love with the place. I have been back every year since 2004 (except this one) and wrote my Masters dissertation on the politics there.

In regards to currency, yes it is used everywhere in Lesotho and the paper bills can even be used in the major South African towns in the Free State (Zatron, Wepener, Lady Brand). Since it is tied to the ZA Rand, the South African currency can be used anywhere in Lesotho as well. I encourage you to find a Maloti, they are beautiful bills with the first king (Moshoeshoe) on them. I am afraid your guides mis-lead you about Maseru as well. It is a major city with (amoung other things) movie theaters, Shoprite Supermarkets (a major chain in South Africa), OK retail stores (again a major ZA retailer) and two Kentucky Fried Chickens! There are even two large 'Sun' casinos in Maseru (the Lesotho Sun and the Maseru Sun). If you google image 'Maseru' you will find many hits, including the famous Basotho Hat building (the information center) on King's Way. It has many busy areas, especially in the industrial area.

While the interior is still very remote, and indeed the area on the Drakensberg are rugged and wild, the infrastructure is (by African standards) extensive. If you consult a map you will find you can take a paved road from Quthing in the South West all the way around the country's perimeter to Mokhotlong in the North East. There are paved road networks coming out of every major town with the exception (I believe) of Thaba Tseka and Semonkong.

Finally, I'm afriad some Xhosa in South Africa may have been giving you some revisionist history. The 'Basotho' people today are widely regarded (and regard themselves) as a amalgam of clans and cheifdoms that shared the same language under the broad catagory of the Sotho people. They were united by Moshoeshoe in in the 1820s to address the threats of the Zulu and white Afrikanner settlers. Subseqently they would go on to skirmish with Zulu and Xhosa factions. All three people (Zulu, Xhosa and Basotho) come from the Bantu tribes. But while you can have some Xhosa living in Lesotho (especially in Xhosa heavy areas near the Drakensberg) a true person born in Lesotho is refered to as a Mosotho (plural is Basotho).

Hoped this helped clarify some stuff.

PS - I'm currently a Manhattanite, but I'll be ready if we have to start selling joala (home brew).

 

Kelly

Wed, 20 May 2009 01:27:39

Hi Josh,
I am a current volunteer in Lesotho and i read the comments posted on your page. Would it be possible for you to put me in contact with Lewis? I know this is not the purpose of your page (which was very interesting....I had never thought about Lesotho that way before) but I would love to communicate with Lewis since he seems to know so much. Thanks!
Kelly

 



Leave a Reply