Who can call themselves Cameroonian without mentioning the essential flavors of our land? A multifaceted country, Cameroon is not limited to cultural and geographical diversity. It is also a real gastronomic paradise, full of dishes and culinary traditions that reflect the soul of its different regions. From Ndolé leaves to cassava, through typical spices and fresh coastal shrimp, each dish tells a story, the story of a country where gastronomy and cultural identity are closely linked.
When we see this country nicknamed “Africa in miniature”, it is obvious that tourism cannot be separated from gastronomy. “When a tourist arrives somewhere, he goes to the restaurant and asks for local food. It is this food that he remembers, that makes him want to return to visit his destination. This is what we intended to do,” says Maïgari Bello Bouba. This statement perfectly summarizes the desire behind the promotion of Cameroonian cuisine: to put Cameroon on the world map of gastronomic destinations that cannot be missed.
Cameroon, the only country in the world whose name comes from shrimps (“Rio Dos Camaroes” which means shrimp river), is predisposed to combine its natural and culinary wealth to to deceive travel. It is in this context that the government established Fèis Blasan Cameroon and the World, to promote Cameroon’s gastronomic destination. This event, a showcase of Cameroonian flavors, highlights this key sector for the national economy: gastronomy. Through its special foods, the country aims to attract a growing number of tourists and at the same time strengthen its identity.
LABELIZATION
In June 2022, further progress was made in this regard. The Cameroonian Minister of Tourism, Maïgari Bello Bouba, has chosen 14 traditional vessels to be named and transformed into tourist attractions. Among them are Ndolé, Achu, Okok, Taro, Nkui, pistachio dishes, Ekwang, Eru etc. This initiative is part of a wider program of the World Intellectual Property Organization (WIPO), entitled “Intellectual property and gastronomic tourism in Peru and other developing countries”.
In collaboration with WIPO, the government is trying to promote these special vessels. Among the selected dishes are various culinary forms full of flavors, reflecting the diversity of Cameroonian heritage. Once named, these dishes become ambassadors of local culture, able to please the most demanding palates and leave lasting memories with visitors. This project is not the first for Cameroon, which has already seen iconic products such as Oku white honey and Penja pepper getting a label. The labels of these traditional dishes mark a new level in the protection and promotion of national culinary treasures.
COUNTY PROCEEDINGS
From May 2024, the Cameroonian government has started phase 2 of this project entitled: “Intellectual property and gastronomic tourism”. This is how Ndolè was officially recognized and named by the World Intellectual Property Organization (WIPO). Ndolè was chosen among 14 Cameroonian culinary traditions that have been preserved, and thus the first dish to receive the WIPO label. This label, we learn, provides promising economic opportunities for Cameroon, attracting the attention of gourmets from around the world and promoting local and regional development. In terms of observation, the decision to celebrate Ndolè is part of the government’s efforts to promote the culture and culinary heritage of the country. It aims to preserve the authenticity of this ancestral recipe and promote its transmission to future generations.
This program, launched by the World Intellectual Property Organization (WIPO), aims to position Cameroon as an essential tourist destination by promoting its local cuisine. “The main objective of this second phase is to promote the use of intellectual property in relation to gastronomic tourism in Cameroon, Malaysia, Morocco and Peru, while taking advantage of the achievements of the first phase,” said the Ministry of Tourism and Leisure (Mintoul).
Phase II of this project is financed by WIPO to the tune of more than 332.6 million FCFA. It follows the project entitled “Action Plan for the Development of Intellectual Property and Gastronomic Tourism in Peru and other developing countries”, which aims to promote gastronomic tourism through intellectual property. This program takes place in a context where Cameroonian food is still struggling to be recognized internationally, largely due to the lack of standardization.
It is precisely this culinary diversity that the Ministry of Tourism and Recreation (Mintoul) intends to rely on to promote tourism and make it an engine of development and growth. According to forecasts published in March 2018 by the World Travel and Tourism Council (WTTC), a forum dedicated to the travel and tourism industry, this sector is expected to represent just over 3% of Cameroon’s GDP by 2028.
