Building Resilience to Climate Change through the Adoption of Grain and Vegetable Amaranth in Binga District of Matabeleland North, Zimbabwe

Abstract

This paper seeks to popularize and commercialize grain and vegetable amaranth (mowa in Shona, imbuya in IsiNdebele and bboonko in Tonga) by local farmers in Manjolo and Sikalenge wards in Binga District of Matabeleland North Province, Zimbabwe. The paper is based on a baseline survey of randomly selected 74 farmers in the two wards. The paper argues that the introduction of grain and vegetable amaranth in Binga District, will improve nutrition security for humans and livestock. Findings of the study indicate that the majority of the respondents knew the local vegetable amaranth types (various weedy species) but did not know the white version (Amaranthus hypochondriacus) grown also for its grain value. Results also indicate that the weedy species germinate naturally in the District and local communities in the two wards viewed these as a weed and had therefore not bothered about the crop because the knowledge about its potential markets was not known. The paper recommends the adoption of grain and vegetable amaranth in arid areas such as Binga because of its higher nutritional quality and quantity than traditional crops.