Traditional African Vegetables Research Articles

Traditional African vegetables’ seed access and management practices: case of Vernonia amygdalina (Delile) in southern Benin

Vernonia amygdalina is an African traditional leafy vegetable which is a source of income for many households involved in its production in West and Central Africa. The species possesses several medicinal and nutritional properties. Despite its importance, there is limited information on farmers’ access to seed, seed production practices, seed trade, and related constraints. This research aimed at investigating farmers’ seed access and management practices. A non-probabilistic snowball method was used to sample and interview 164 bitter leaf seed sector actors from urban and peri-urban areas in Benin. Results indicated that vegetable farming is mainly practiced by men and it was the main occupation for 94.47% of the farmers interviewed. A significant association was found between the location and farmers’ experience (p-value = 0.01358). A diversity of Vernonia amygdalina morphotypes were found. Sixty-three percent of the farmers surveyed use seeds as planting material, 29% use purchased seedlings and only 7% use stem cuttings for Vernonia amygdalina production. Most of the seeds used (74%) were from farmer-saved seeds, harvested from isolated plants during production. The main constraints to V. amygdalina production reported by farmers were the unavailability of seeds (41% of respondents), low germination percentage (18%) and low seed longevity (12%). Findings from this study can inform solutions to improve farmers’ access to high-quality seeds and enhance V. amygdalina vegetable production.

Farmers’ Knowledge, Attitude, and Practices Regarding the Use of Agroecological-Based Pest Management Practices in Crucifers and Traditional African Vegetable (TAV) Production in Kenya and Tanzania

Crucifers and traditional African vegetables (TAVs) are important to smallholders in Kenya and Tanzania, but yield remains below potential due to pests and diseases. Agroecological production methods present a nature-based solution to pest and disease management in crucifer and TAV production. We explore the status of farmers’ knowledge, attitudes, and practices regarding agroecological-based production pest management practices. Structured and pretested questionnaires were used to collect data from 1071 vegetable farming households in Kenya and Tanzania. Using descriptive statistics, parametric, and non-parametric analysis, our study revealed that less than 20% of farmers had received training on agroecological-based practices and less than 25% were aware of most of these practices. Among those who were aware of the practices and could confirm their effectiveness less than 12% had adopted them, except for crop rotation and handpicking of pests. This study attributes the low adoption to farmers’ negative attitudes towards the practices. Nonetheless, the study further revealed that training significantly and positively influences the adoption of the practices. Therefore, we recommend that governments and other stakeholders promote targeted awareness campaigns and increase access to training on vegetable production using sustainable pest and disease management practices.

Traditional African vegetables in modular living walls: a novel approach towards smart cities

In terms of the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development and the United Nations (UN) Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), sustainable cities and communities (SDG 11), combined with good health and wellbeing (SDG 3), are vital. The world is not making adequate progress in meeting the UN’s targets to address food security (SDG 2). In South Africa, the growing population, rapid urbanization, poverty, and unemployment exacerbate the issue of food security; even more so considering climate change (SDG 13). The built environment needs to respond to these demands and incorporate green initiatives that can provide ecosystem services. Novel approaches are required to optimize land use and promote sustainable built environments through food production. This paper consolidates literature on local vertical urban food production with vegetable crops to enhance ecosystem services and lower the carbon footprint of buildings in the Global South. The literature review points to the potential of small-scale edible living walls that utilize local materials and traditional African vegetable (TAV) species to enhance system sustainability and resilience. TAV species offer advantages as opposed to exotic food crops as they are tolerant to extreme heat and drought, have a high nutritional value, and have low irrigation and agrochemical maintenance requirements.

A review of the role of the Cucurbitaceae family in food security in West Africa

Background: Food and nutritional security are main development goals in several countries of Africa. In West Africa, the use of African indigenous vegetables caters for the food and nutritional needs of a high proportion of the people, most particularly amongst the poor and rural dwellers. The family Cucurbitaceae is one of the most important and widely grown vegetables in the tropical and subtropical climates.Aim and objective: This review discusses the culinary relevance of several species of Cucurbitaceae and their roles in food security in West Africa.Methods: A literature search was conducted on electronic databases such as Google Books, Google Scholar, Scopus and Web of Science.Discussions: Certain genera such as Telfairia, Cucurbita and Citrullus and other Egusi species are commonly cultivated in different parts of West Africa including Nigeria for their fruits, seeds and leaves because of their crucial nutrient compositions and palatability in local diets. These species and other species of Cucurbitaceae are used as traditional vegetables or African indigenous vegetables and are either sourced from the wild or cultivated in several African countries. Some of these species have played roles beyond food security but have also been crucial tools for nutritional security, especially within the low-income group and rural communities.Conclusions: Several communities in West Africa use almost all parts of the plant (leaves, fruit, seed, flowers) of some species of this family as food or in food preparations. Their use could also lead to innovative pathways towards reducing diseases associated with malnutrition especially those related to protein deficiency.

FACTORS INFLUENCING TECHNOLOGY ADOPTION BY TRADITIONAL AFRICAN VEGETABLE FARMERS IN NORTHERN GHANA

The production of traditional African vegetables is an age-old tradition among the people of the northern region of Ghana. However, the knowledge base of traditional African vegetable production remains local due to a lack of research and policy support. Therefore, the adoption of improved technology among traditional vegetable farmers is generally low and impedes efforts to promote widespread cultivation, consumption and even commercialisation. This study aims at clarifying potential factors that determine the adoption of technologies by traditional African vegetable farmers in the northern region of Ghana. One hundred and five (105) respondents in five communities and across two administrative districts in the northern region were selected for an in-depth survey using a combination of quantitative and qualitative data collection methods. In addition, a logit regression was used to determine the effect of various factors on technology adoption by farmers. Among the factors, the educational level of a farmer, access to credit, farm size, experience in farming and access to extension support were found to be important factors affecting the decision of traditional African vegetable farmers to adopt improved technology. The results of this study can help enhance the effectiveness of policy re-orientation towards a more effective commercialisation of traditional African vegetables in Ghana and elsewhere.

Seed Systems of Traditional African Vegetables in Eastern Africa: A Systematic Review

Traditional African Vegetables (TAV) play an important role in the livelihoods, food and nutritional security of local populations. Access to high-quality seeds of improved varieties is a foundation for increasing crop productivity. TAV seed systems have received little attention. We systematically reviewed the literature to assess the sustainability (seed quality, availability, accessibility, affordability, and profitability of seed businesses) of TAV seed systems in Eastern Africa. The review revealed that the private sector mediated seed system (i.e., formal) offered higher potential for seed quality, and profitability for seed growers. The community-based seed system showed higher potential in ensuring a better access to seeds. The quality of TAV seeds was partially addressed in the studies with a focus on germination percentage and purity, which varied across systems, crops, and geography. While there was a trend of poorer seed quality in the informal system, seed quality in the formal and community-based systems was not necessarily better. The affordability of seed from the various systems (private sector mediated, community based and informal) needs further investigation. Because TAV seed systems are localized and differ significantly among and within countries, tailored interventions are required when promoting a given TAV seed system. We identified inter-regional gaps in TAV seed systems studies, with all the studies concentrated in Eastern Africa, mainly in Tanzania and Kenya. Filling these gaps will require more investment in other regions in sub-Saharan Africa to document existing initiatives or initiate interventions seeking to promote access to high-quality TAV seeds. This review sheds light on existing gaps in research on TAV seed systems to guide future interventions.

Unpacking the value of traditional African vegetables for food and nutrition security

There is a need for agriculture in sub-Saharan Africa to diversify into more nutrient-rich crops to meet the subcontinent’s nutritional needs in terms of micronutrients and reduce health risks related to high and rising rates of overweight/obesity. Many traditional African vegetables (TAVs) are nutrient-dense and have much potential to reduce malnutrition. These vegetables can also provide sustainable incomes to rural, urban and peri-urban farming communities. In addition to their high economic values and health benefits, most TAVs are amenable to be grown under low input conditions and even organically. However, TAVs are under-researched and underutilized across the vegetable value chain. This paper provides a detailed account of the value of TAVs, focusing on their importance, research and development progress, and future needs. To exploit the potential of TAVs, there is need for a more concerted research and development efforts including effective characterization of the nutrition and genetic profiles; enhancing adaptability and yield gains; and capacity development in value addition, postharvest handling, processing, marketing, and seed system development. Success in these areas depends on effective collaborations among national and international partners including the private seed sector, and government and non-governmental organizations working in the areas of agriculture, nutrition and health.

Consumption Pattern of Dried Traditional African Vegetables among Rural Households in Tanzania

Vegetables are known to be nutritious and form part of almost every meal in an African set up. However, they are known to be perishable and seasonal thus scarce during dry period. Drying helps extend their shelf life. The main objective of the study was to determine consumption pattern of dried traditional vegetables (TAVs) in semi-arid rural households. Dried TAVs by open sun drying and solar drying were considered. Cross-section data collected in 2016 among 244 respondents in Dodoma and Singida region through random sampling using semi-structured questionnaire was utilized. Ordered bivariate probit was estimated using STATA software. The results showed that access to information on drying, gender, presence of adults above 64 years, adults between 15 - 64 years, children between 5 - 14 and 0 - 4 years was significant. The information is useful in planning trainings and in determining the consumer segment to target. Strategies that would enhance information access are highly recommended.

Levels and potential health risk of elements in two indigenous vegetables from Golinga irrigation farms in the Northern Region of Ghana

The study determined the levels of selected metals (Mg, Ca, K, P, B, Na, Cr, Mn, Fe, Co, Ni, Cu, Zn, Mo, As, Cd, Sb, Ba and Pb) and further performed a health risk assessment on consumption of two traditional African vegetables, jute mallow (Corchorus olitorius) and roselle (Hibiscus sabdariffa) collected from the Golinga irrigation farms in Northern Ghana. The concentration of essential elements ranged between 1.50 (Mo) and 368 (Fe) mg kg−1 for Corchorus olitorius and 1.01 (Cu) and 308 (Mn) mg kg−1 for Hibiscus sabdariffa. Most of the essential elements were within the permissible limits except for Cr (31.9 mg kg−1 in the wet season) and As (13.4–32.1 mg kg−1) which were higher than the WHO/FAO guidelines of 5 and 0.5 mg kg−1, respectively. The concentration of toxic metals (Cd and Pb) was above the permissible limits in both vegetables reaching 31.4 and 39.0 mg kg−1, respectively. Human health risk assessment using Hazard Quotients showed that only As had the potential to increase above non-acceptable levels and cause non-cancerous health risks during a life-time consumption of Hibiscus sabdariffa vegetable while Corchorus olitorius is relatively safe and can be a beneficial source of essential elements.

Diversity and conservation of traditional African vegetables: Priorities for action

AbstractAimTraditional African vegetables have high potential to contribute to healthy diets and climate resilience in sub‐Saharan African food systems. However, their genetic resources are likely at threat because they are underutilized and under the radar of agricultural research. This paper aims to contribute to a conservation agenda for traditional African vegetables by examining the geographical diversity and conservation status of these species.LocationSub‐Saharan Africa.Methods126 traditional annual and perennial African vegetables were selected for their food and nutrition potential. Food uses and species’ areas of origin were recorded from literature. Species’ presence records were collected from open‐access databases of genebanks and herbaria. These records were used to determine geographical patterns of observed and modelled richness, to distinguish geographical clusters with different compositions of vegetables, to assess species’ ex situ and in situ conservation status and to prioritize countries for conservation actions.ResultsOf the 126 species, 79 originated in sub‐Saharan Africa. High levels of observed and modelled species richness were found in: (a) West Tropical Africa in Ghana, Togo and Benin; (b) West‐Central Tropical Africa in South Cameroon; (c) Northeast and East Tropical Africa in Ethiopia and Tanzania; and (d) Southern Africa in Eswatini. South Sudan, Angola and DR Congo are potential areas of high species richness that require further exploration. In general, ex situ conservation status of the selected species was poor compared to their in situ conservation status.Main conclusionsAreas of high species richness in West Tropical Africa, South Cameroon and Ethiopia coincide with centres of crop domestication and cultural diversity. Hotspots of diversity in Tanzania and Eswatini are especially rich in wild vegetables. Addressing the conservation of vegetable diversity in West Tropical Africa and South Cameroon is of most urgent concern as vegetable genetic resources from these locations are least represented in ex situ collections.

Household gardening with traditional African vegetables to improve diets of children and young women in East Africa

Household gardening with traditional African vegetables to improve diets of children and young women in East Africa

Diversity, conservation and use of traditional African vegetables

Diversity, conservation and use of traditional African vegetables

Connecting genebanks to farmers in East Africa through the distribution of vegetable seed kits

AbstractGenebanks explore new partnerships with farmers and other user groups to provide smallholder farmers in Africa better access to crop diversity for improved nutrition, climate change adaptation and agricultural diversification. This paper shows how the World Vegetable Center (WorldVeg) genebank of traditional African vegetables and its partners distributed over 42,000 seed kits containing over 183,000 vegetable seed samples from 2013 to 2017 to smallholder farmers in Tanzania, Kenya and Uganda. The seed kits contained seed samples of promising accessions and open-pollinated breeding lines of traditional African vegetables, and to a lower degree of tomato,Capsicumpepper and soybean, usually enough to plant in a home garden. We identified four research questions to better understand the role of vegetable seed kits in strengthening local seed systems, impact on local vegetable diversity, improving human nutrition and supporting climate-resilient agriculture. As formal seed systems expand their reach, the genebank's role to supply vegetable diversity to public and private breeding programmes becomes more important. To optimize supply of vegetable diversity, the WorldVeg genebank of traditional African vegetables continues working with partners in both formal and local seed systems.

Retailing traditional African vegetables in Zambia

In sub-Saharan Africa, including Zambia, rising awareness of the nutrition and health benefits of traditional African vegetables (TAVs) has raised demand over the past decade. TAVs compete with conventional vegetables in most retail outlets such as supermarkets and small food stores. Yet, there is little information on the retail structure of organic traditional vegetables. This study sought to identify the trading structure of organic TAVs; the determinants of retailers’ decision to sell these vegetables and the major bottlenecks to the growth of TAV retailing. Results indicated that it was the expected profits and consumer concerns over food safety that influence the retailers’ decision to sell organic TAVs.

Solar-Dried Traditional African Vegetables in Rural Tanzania: Awareness, Perceptions, and Factors Affecting Purchase Decisions

This paper analyzes rural households’ awareness, perceptions, and factors influencing decisions to purchase solar-dried traditional African vegetables (TAVs). Solar-dried vegetables have higher nutritive value, good appearance, good taste, and better hygiene than open sun–dried vegetables. A simple random sampling was used to obtain 244 rural households in Dodoma and Singida regions of Tanzania. Descriptive statistics were used to measure awareness and perception of solar-dried TAVs while logit regression was employed to estimate factors influencing households’ decision to purchase solar-dried vegetables. The study findings indicate that about 36% of rural households are aware of solar-dried TAVs and know their nutritional and health benefits. Most households purchase and consume the open sun–dried types due to lack of knowledge of the benefits of solar dried vegetables. The decision to purchase solar-dried vegetables is influenced by sex of household head, income level, previous experience in consuming sun-dried vegetables, and knowledge of the nutritional and health benefits of the solar-dried vegetables in diets. Thus, awareness creation and promotion of solar drying of TAVs is suggested as an effective way to continuously access nutritious vegetables, particularly in regions faced with frequent droughts.

Rating consumption of traditional vegetables in Tanzania using the awareness, interest, desire and action (AIDA) model

Traditional African vegetables are important for their nutraceutical benefits and contributions to farm household incomes. Consequently, their consumption, particularly among rural and urban households in developing countries, has been promoted and emphasized in recent years. Despite their multiple benefits, consumer awareness, and preference for traditional vegetables is low. This study uses the awareness, interest, desire and action (AIDA) marketing communication model to evaluate consumer awareness and perceptions and assess factors that influence consumption of traditional vegetables among 258 respondents in the Arusha region of Tanzania. Most of the respondents were aware of the nutritional importance of traditional vegetables, willing to purchase them for home consumption, and had a positive perception of their benefits. Consumers who had participated in the promotional activities were more willing to purchase and grow traditional vegetables than non-participants. The major sources of information about human nutrition and traditional vegetables included health centers, schools, friends, relatives, and radio programmes. African nightshade, African eggplant, amaranth and okra were the most widely consumed traditional vegetables. They were mainly purchased from the market. Regression estimates indicate that the consumption of traditional vegetables increases with positive health perceptions, better training, domestic production of vegetables, and increased promotional activities. Scaling up consumers awareness and home gardening would help to increase availability and consumption of traditional vegetables.

English

Indigenous and traditional African vegetables are receiving increasing attention because of their potential to contribute to food and nutritional security as well as enhance livelihoods in sub-Saharan Africa. Traditional African vegetables are important sources of nutrients like iron and calcium and also vitamins A, B complex, C, and E. The consumption of vegetables in sub-Saharan Africa, however, falls way below the recommended levels by the World Health Organization and Food and Agriculture Organization. This situation has led to micronutrient deficiencies and widespread nutritional disorders among the low-income and food insecure populations. This study explored the factors that determine the nutritional knowledge, frequency of intake, and attitudes of traders towards consumption of traditional African vegetables. Data were collected from 65 purposively selected households of traders in Manyire, Embaseny, and Bangata markets in Arumeru District of Tanzania from July to November 2015. Generalized Poisson and factor analysis were used in the analysis of data. The results showed that education, age, and annual income influenced traders’ nutritional knowledge. The consumption of traditional African vegetables was influenced by education, household size, occupation, nutritional value, and preparation time. Factor analysis results indicated that knowledge of health benefits, taste, preparation time, and perception influenced consumption of traditional African vegetables. These findings imply that the consumption of traditional African vegetables can be enhanced by educating traders about the health benefits of these commodities as well as the taste-preserving preparation techniques. The study recommends inclusion of the health attributes of traditional African vegetables in promotional campaigns. Key words: Diet, health, education, nutrients, vitamins.

Household Expenditure on Traditional African Vegetables: A Tobit Model

Household Expenditure on Traditional African Vegetables: A Tobit Model

Assessment of factors influencing farmers’ nutrition knowledge and intake of traditional african vegetables in Tanzania

Traditional African Vegetables (TAVs) form a significant component of many families’ diets in Tanzania. Traditional African Vegetables contribute to reduction of malnutrition, stunting and poor health among consumers by providing vitamins and essential minerals in family diets. However, the consumption of vegetables is still below the per capita per day intake level recommended by World Health Organization and Food and Agriculture Organization, causing millions of deaths annually due to nutrientdeficiency related diseases. This study examined the factors that influence the nutrition knowledge, frequency intake and farming households’ attitudes towards consumption of traditional vegetables. The Standard Poison and the Generalized Poison models were used for analysis. Factor analysis was used to assess the attitudes towards TAVs consumption. Data were collected from randomly selected 63 households in Arumeru District of Tanzania in the months of July to November 2015. Generalized Poison model results showed that gender of the respondent, years of schooling, age of the respondent, household size and TAVs farm size influenced farmers’ nutrition knowledge. Frequency intake of TAVs is influenced by the farmers’ age, annual household income, household size, TAVs farm size and market price of TAVs. Factor analysis results indicated that medicinal properties of traditional vegetables positively influenced farmers’ intake of vegetables. The “health factor” accounted for 31.4% of the total variance in the principal components analysis. ‘Personal perception factor’ accounted for 13.79% whereas ‘personal taste factor’ accounted for 12.71% of the total variance. It was concluded that rural farming households consume traditional vegetables majorly because of their health attributes. Thus, there is need to improve medicinal and nutritional knowledge of these crops among households. These findings imply that consumption of TAVs can be enhanced by educating households on nutrition importance and medicinal attributes of TAVs. Besides, farmers need training on simple but user-friendly technologies that could prolong storage and preserve freshness as well as nutritional contents of traditional vegetables. Keywords: Traditional vegetables, nutrition knowledge, frequency intake, farmers’ attitude, Arumeru District

How promoting consumption of traditional African vegetables affects household nutrition security in Tanzania

AbstractTraditional African vegetables have recently received considerable attention for their contribution to food and nutrition security and opportunities for enhancing smallholder livelihoods. Promoting the production and consumption of traditional vegetables is expected to enhance household nutrition among urban and rural households. The Good Seed Initiative (GSI) program promoted production and consumption of nutrient-dense traditional African vegetables in Arusha region in Tanzania to reduce malnutrition through diet diversification. We estimated the impact of promotion activities on households, women, and children's dietary diversity. The study used cross-sectional data from 258 and 242 households in intervention and control regions, respectively, and applied matching techniques and inverse probability weighting to control for unobserved heterogeneity and selection bias, which could otherwise bias the outcome estimates. We found that households benefiting from traditional vegetable promotion and demand creation activities had significantly higher dietary diversity of children under 5 yr and women in reproductive age. We found no significant impact of promotion activities on households’ dietary diversity. The policy implication is that scaling up promotional and demand creation activities to encourage consumers to grow and eat traditional African vegetables would be an important element in initiatives to increase dietary diversity, particularly for children under 5 and women in Tanzania.