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One of the best vegetarian dinners in St. Louis!
A smorgasbord of gourmet pesto, including vegan, plus tomato sauce for non-pesto eaters.

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15th Pesto Feast Examines Food Crisis in Africa

by Don Fitz, Gateway Green Alliance

Africa, like other developing parts of the world, has a long tradition of producing food locally with sustainable farming. But many countries in Africa have recently experienced food shortages, hunger, and starvation. World trade agreements are putting the continent increasing under control of international banking institutions and multinational corporations who have their own ideas about how to address hunger. Africa is under tremendous pressure to adopt Western methods of producing food and embrace Western diets.

The question that remains is: Would these changes help or hurt Africa? Would there be less hunger if there were massive plantations producing food for export instead of small farmers growing crops for local people? Would African agriculture be better off with genetically engineered food instead of traditional crops? Would Africa benefit from fast food restaurants and factory production of pigs and cows?

The 15th Annual Great Green Pesto Feast, sponsored by the Gateway Green Alliance, will be one of the rare opportunities to hear about both the effects of globalization on Africa's intensifying hunger problem. The overall theme will be the "Food Crisis in Africa."

Raheem Adegboye, a Yoruba from Nigeria, will talk about the traditional diet of his culture. His presentation on "Nigeria and African Food" will describe different ethnic groups in Nigeria and explain how eating habits are being affected by Western influence. Steve Hollis, with the Missouri Rural Crisis Center and American Federation of Government Employees, will ask "Can Agricultural Subsidies End Starvation in Africa?" His discussion will cover the July 2005 G-8 Summit and its approach to hunger in Africa.

One of the best annual vegetarian dinners in St. Louis, the Pesto Feast is 5:30-8 pm, Saturday September 17 at Eden Theological Seminary - Commons Bldg Dining Hall, 475 East Lockwood Ave (across from Webster University, corner of Lockwood and Bompart; enter Eden from Bompart or Lockwood). There will be several different kinds of gourmet pesto, including vegan. Tomato sauce will abound for non-pesto eaters. Tickets are $20 at the door or $15 advance purchase (call 314-727-8554).

Join the Greens on September 17 to talk about real solutions to world hunger.