Carnegie hopes to launch Indigenous cuisine recipe book in 1 month

The Carnegie School of Home Economics (CSHE) is expected to launch Guyana’s first-ever recipe book for Indigenous cuisine later in May. This was revealed by the principal of Carnegie School of Home Economics (CSHE) Sharmaine Marshall during a telephone interview with this publication.
According to Marshall, the book is currently being reviewed by the Ministry of Agriculture and after it has been approved, printing will begin.
“We’re waiting for feedback from the Ministry, once they approve it, we have to send it to be signed and printed. We have like a month more I would say. They’re reviewing the book at the moment,” Marshall shared.
Earlier last month, the CSHE hosted a three-day taste test kitchen where persons from the public were invited to taste various Indigenous cuisines which will be featured in the recipe book.
During a previous interview with this publication, Marshall disclosed that this initiative was birthed through a financing arrangement with the International Fund for Agricultural Development (IFAD) for a six-year project named the Hinterland Environmentally Sustainable Agricultural Development (HESAD) Project.
The project developed a nutrition strategy and playbook that outlined the nutritional problems of the beneficiaries of the HESAD Project in Regions One and Nine, with the aim of making awareness interventions in nutrition, especially in relation to women, youth, and children.
“The purpose of it is to document the history of the…Indigenous recipes in Guyana, particularly from Region One and Nine. That is what the project is about, so we would have gathered these recipes from various Indigenous nations in Guyana, and we would have conducted…a test kitchen. Because the recipes submitted are from different formatting…what we wanted to do was to standardise it into a form where anyone can pick up this book and use it,” Marshall explained.
The US$11.15 million HESAD Project aims to improve livelihood resilience through income generation, access to assets, improved nutrition, and adaptation to climate variability and change. The lead agency for the implementation of the HESAD Project is the Agriculture Ministry, through its Agriculture Sector Development Unit (ASDU).
The historical recipe book, which will feature 50 recipes, will be designed and printed by Carnegie and will be available free of cost. A total of 300 copies are expected to be printed and handed over to the National Toshaos Council, which will distribute them to various communities across the country.