Abstract

In this talk, I argue that archaeology is an essential tool for understanding food security over the long-term, and that deep history can and should inform food futures. Drawing on my recent book, The Scarcity Slot: Excavating Histories of Food Security in Ghana (University of California Press, 2020), I illustrate how a longue durée approach can combat stereotypes of scarcity in Africa. This research details how people in Banda, Ghana maintained high food security during the worst drought on record in the last millennium, lasting from 1400-1650 CE, in part through diverse economic strategies. Seasonal chronic food insecurity increased in severity in the late 19th and early 20th centuries, in association with changing labor dynamics and market economies further institutionalized under British colonial rule. Building off of this case study, I conclude with a discussion of how the past can act as inspiration for food secure futures.

The talk will be followed by responses from Dr Julian Garay Vasquez and Prof Martin Jones.

The link to join the lecture online is here: https://teams.microsoft.com/meet/3693237776111?p=raZyEwVDtKHkBu2fP9