Abstract
The southeastern part of Nigeria is one of the major hotspots of useful plant genetic resources. These endemic species are associated with a rich indigenous knowledge and cultural diversity in relation to their use and conservation. Sphenostylis stenocarpa (ex. A. Rich.) Harms., (African Yam Bean (AYB)), is one such crop within the family of Fabaceae. Its nutritional and eco-friendly characteristics have value in ameliorating malnutrition, hidden hunger and environmental degradation inherent in resource-poor rural and semi-rural communities throughout Africa. However, lack of information from the custodians of this crop is limiting its sustainable development. Therefore, ethnobotanical surveys on the diversity, uses, and constraints limiting the cultivation and use of the crop in southeastern Nigeria were carried out. Five-hundred respondents were randomly selected and data collected through oral interviews and focused group discussion (FGD). Semi-structured questionnaires (SSQ) were also used to elicit information from a spectrum of AYB users comprising community leaders, farmers, market women and consumers in five States. Results showed that the majority of the respondents lacked formal education and were of the age group of 40–50 years, while the female gender dominated with limited access to land and extension officers. Seed coat colour largely determined utilization. Long cooking time, requirement for staking materials, aging of farmers and low market demand were among the major constraints limiting further cultivation and utilization of AYB. In-situ conservation was by hanging dried fruits by the fireside, beside the house, storing in earthenware, calabash gourds, cans and bottles. It is concluded that there is urgent need to scale up conservation through robust linkages between contemporary scientific domains and indigenous peoples in order to harness and incorporate the rich indigenous knowledge in local communities for enhanced scientific knowledge, biodiversity conservation and its sustainable utilization for food security.
Highlights
The dependence of humans on plants for their livelihood is connected to the development of specific knowledge on plant value, use, management, and conservation [1,2]
Just as biological diversity underpins the resilience of natural systems, so does cultural diversity [5]
(2%), (2%), 2.5% and 6.8% of the respondents were within the age limits of
Summary
The dependence of humans on plants for their livelihood is connected to the development of specific knowledge on plant value, use, management, and conservation [1,2]. The direct relationship between biological and cultural diversity shows that the maintenance of the former can help preserve the latter while increasing the capacity of human to adapt to change [4]. Just as biological diversity underpins the resilience of natural systems, so does cultural diversity [5]. Indigenous people are the major custodians of knowledge on endemic biodiversity because of the long and intertwined associations between their survival and the utilization of plant species for food, traditional medicine and a diversity of other uses. Harnessing this information can strengthen research in the contemporary scientific domain on AYB
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