Akonfem: More than just a bird for the table
It is not only a delicacy in the northern part of the country – it has become a national pride and has increasingly drawn many followers.
Advertisement
The guinea fowl, which is locally known as ‘akonfem’ in the Akan Language, is a very agile bird. However, it is not its swiftness that has gained it such popularity – it has been in the news severally.
Akonfem has, therefore, become part of our body politic and a subject for national discourse, take it or leave it.
In the news for the wrong reasons
Perhaps, it is because of its pricelessness that the bird is rumoured to have started a war among some major tribes in the country some years ago. This has been largely refuted though, with analysts saying there were underlying factors other than the guinea fowl.
Whatever the reasons for the war , a guinea fowl was mentioned as being part of it – that should tell you the importance of this bird.
Of quite recent mention of the popular bird is its involvement in the tale of an investment dogged by controversy – SADA!
A project to raise enough ‘akonfems’ to aid in the development of the north through the Savannah Accelerated Development Agency (SADA) has rather left a sour taste in the mouth of many Ghanaians.
According to a statement from the project managers, the project was intended to commercialise the production of guinea fowls to provide jobs for about 1,500 youth and women outgrowers.
Other Trending Stories
They were to be equipped to produce over 250,000 guinea fowls annually, over a period of five years. Reports say GH¢15 million was invested in the project that was intended to benefit some communities in the Northern, Upper West and East, Brong Ahafo and Volta regions.
The tale notwithstanding, the guinea fowl’s fame can also be attributed to the leanness of its meat and its ability to withstand harsh conditions, unlike foreign poultry. Many have, therefore, reared ‘akonfem’ in their backyards without going through the hassles associated with keeping normal poultry.
My encounter with ‘akonfem’
I had not really had a taste of the guinea fowl, until I visited Mali in December 2010. Our host – WaterAid Mali, took us to the Eden Village, a restaurant in Bamako, where we had an unforgettable treat of nicely grilled ‘akonfem’ with some potato chips.
The evening was spiced with Malian music and dance made from calabash, local drums, xylophone and maracas.
Since then, I have been hooked to its meat and always looked for an opportunity to eat it. One of those opportunities presented itself, when I recently travelled up north and a colleague gave us a treat.
My desire to have a home treat since buying two-dressed guinea fowls in December 2013 has, however, still not materialised and they are still tucked in the freezer. The why, is a long story. But here is the reason everyone must try to sample this famous bird.
Nutritional value
According to the farmingfriends website, guinea fowl meat is lean and rich in essential fatty acids. It is also low in calories and only surpassed in this by turkey meat – while guinea fowl meat has approximately 134 kilocalories (kcal) per 100 grammes, turkey meat has approximately 109 kcal.
Guinea fowl meat is also rich in vitamins E, B1 and B2 and minerals such as magnesium, calcium and iron, and is low in cholesterol and also high in protein.
A one-unit serving size of 1lb ready-to-cook guinea, contains total fat of 6.9g, 173mg cholesterol, 190mg sodium, 605mg potassium and 56.76g protein.
It also has a Vitamin A composition of two per cent, Vitamin C – eight per cent, Calcium – three per cent and Iron – 12 per cent.
The guinea fowl
The best description that can be given to the guinea fowl is as Gail Damerow puts it in his article, “Raising Guinea Fowl: A Low-Maintenance Flock”. He calls them “officious little men in baggy grey suits”.
Although they are native to Africa, the guinea fowl was introduced in Europe by the 15th century Portuguese explorers and arrived in North America with the early settlers.
Advertisement
There are over seven species of guinea fowl, with the “helmeted pearl” being the most common. Other types are the Pied, Lavender, Crested, Kenya Crested, Plumed, Vulturine, Black and White-breasted guinea fowls.
It has a lifespan of between 10 and 20 years, moves in groups and comes in black, white, brown, red, yellow and grey.
The female fowl lays between eight and 15 eggs seasonally, which hatch after an incubation period of one month. Its chicks, known as keets, remain with their mother until they are able to fend for themselves.
Agility
Guinea fowls are very swift, can run very fast and have very strong wings for flying when they sense danger.
Advertisement
They are very loud birds and definitely not for the person who cannot stand their chatter. But they come in handy as alarm sounders when there is an intruder, since they have a very sharp hearing. Although short sighted, they also keep at bay ticks and small bugs, as well as rats, hawks, snakes, among other insects and rodents.
But love it or hate it, the guinea fowl, aka ‘akonfem’, will always remain a delicacy for many people and a subject for discussion.