Monday 3 June 2019

NATURAL DELICACY in the Land of Opportunities

A plateful of the delicious insects
Natural Delicacy in the Land of Opportunities

By Martin Fundi and 
Jeremiah Mutuanga

During one of our story-hunting trips, we met this elderly couple setting up small structure on the roadside; children jumping up and down with excitement as the couple covered the bowed stick structure with old blankets and banana leaves.

It was one afternoon, along Runyenjes-Ugweri road, and there were all signs of rain - the sky was heavy. Some kilometers further, we came across a middle aged man guarded by an army of toddlers surrounding a structure similar to the one we had seen earlier.

Curious to get informed, we stopped and engaged the man. This is what we learned:

Black bellied, winged edible termites have been a permanent cuisine in Embu county, where it is the first ready delicacy available immediately the rains fall. it is this 'Manna' that the people were collecting.

"Rains come with instant food. And we don't have to farm or feed it. We trap it and it's easy," said Dickson Gichovi.

Rainfall pushes the termites out of the ground to the surface where locals wait and trap the fluttering dish.

"When the soldier termites come out, we use banana leaves to make small tents around the holes they come out through," he said.

They make small holes on the corners to trap the termites, which are directed by small sticks placed inside the tent.

Alex Mugendi, a 43 year old farmer said that he has always seen residents trap the termites when it rains.

"The rains fall when our food stocks are almost depleted and almost all we have left is seed. The termites are like instant tea," he said.

Termites come from the ground when it rains but one has to make a dark trapping structure for them to come out in large numbers.

A man prepares the hunting ground for termites
"We use sticks that are bent into an oval structure and cover them with banana leaves and blankets to make a trapping structure," said Susan Wanja.

However,  there has to be thunderstorms for the termites to come out in plenty and if there are no thunderstorms, harvesters beat the ground with sticks to.

At Runyenjes town, i sampled a plate of the mouth watering delicacy served with ugali in a popular hotel where a glass was sold at Sh70. (The delicacy is normally meted out in glasses as the standard measure)

The hotel owner who sought anonymity said she had seen youth hawking fried termites in the streets of Runyenjes and thought of adding them to her menu.

"I observed how the youth made sales, people in the market used to buy and devour the termites with so much excitement. I saw a business opportunity," she said.

To make the dish more real, she serves dish on a piece of a banana leave which she says attracts more customers, as it reminds them of their culture (in olden days, banana leaves served as plates)

"It's natural and customers are enjoying the termites on banana leaves, even ladies and teachers say they like them on the leaves," she added.

Sospeter Njeru claimed that one would make a smart business if they knew how to farm and produce the termites en-mass. Njeru said that innovative members of the community are making hundreds of shillings daily, selling termites to area residents.

He said that termites are usually fried and served as accompaniment to other food.

Joseph Nthiga, a youth from Gikuuri village said he is making more than Sh 500 a day hawking the termites from Gikuuri shopping centre to Runyenjes town.

"Elderly women are my customers, they even call me for orders and it is proving to be a booming business," said Nthiga.

Nthiga said that he moves around different villages within Runyenjes constituency that are said to be rich in termites.

"I walk from place to place in search of the insects, once I identify where they are, I set up a trapping structure after asking for permission from the land owners if they are found to be in ones land," he said.

At the entrance and exit of Runyenjes bus park, you will find a group of men selling the termites to those traveling to different places. They said that they have not done this for long since they had not known that area residents can buy the flying insects.


"I never thought any one would buy termites until when I read somewhere that termites are a delicacy, we tried it and we are making money out of it," said John Ndereva.

Cathlyn Wanja and Bessy Wawira, both teachers said that they have been eating termites since they were young. They said they frequent a hotel in Runyenjes that serves termites. They even offered to buy us some two glasses.

Teacher Wanja said that they are natural and have no side effects since they are not prone to any chemicals.

"They are good and easy to make, you just fry them and you are good to go. My children like them with rice and ugali," she said.