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Indigenous vegetables in Tanzania: Significance and prospects
... Leafy vegetables are vital for improved nutrition, healthy diet and diversified income generation in subsistence and commercial farming system in Tanzania (Weinberger and Msuya, 2004). Leafy vegetables are those which their leaves and stems are eaten as vegetables including amaranth, spinach, lettuce, cabbage, broccoli, and pumpkin leaves. ...
... In recent decades, several achievements have been made in the AIV seed sector, leading to a surge in demand for these crops in both urban and rural markets (Afari-Sefa et al. 2012). This increased demand has resulted in improved incomes for smallholder and periurban farmers (Weinberger and Msuya 2004;Ngugi et al. 2006;Afande et al. 2015). Furthermore, the impact of climate change and the promotion of biofortified crops have placed AIVs at the forefront of efforts to increase food and nutritional security. ...
African indigenous vegetables (AIVSs) play crucial roles in promoting a healthy diet and providing commercial opportunities for smallholder farmers. Despite their nutrient-rich nature, their consumption is limited, highlighting the need to develop and promote them, as they are well adapted to climate change. To address this issue, a comprehensive study combining desk research and a survey was conducted in Malawi, Zambia, and Zimbabwe (Southern Africa), as well as Kenya and Tanzania (East Africa). This study aimed to assess progress and regulations on AIV germplasm management, crop improvement, seed production and seed trade and to propose seed regulations that could unlock opportunities for AIVs. The World Vegetable Centre has played a crucial role in vegetable seed sector development working with public and private partners. Kenya and Tanzania officially released several AIVs, namely, spider plant (Cleome gynandra), amaranth (Amaranthus spp.), okra (Abelmoschus esculentus), pumpkin (Cucurbita spp.) and African nightshade (Solanum spp.). These efforts represent important steps toward promoting and enhancing the cultivation and utilization of AIVs. The trade of AIV seeds has primarily been observed between Kenya and Tanzania, while such trade is not well documented in other Southern African countries. Regulations regarding the release of vegetable varieties vary across regions. In Kenya and Tanzania, formal release of vegetables is required, whereas is not mandatory in Malawi, Zambia and Zimbabwe. The need for testing for distinctness, uniformity and stability (DUS) and value for cultivation and use (VCU) need to be assessed to provide flexibility, whereas seed certification should allow for the certification and quality declared seeds (QDS), offering options that promote the growth of the AIV seed sector. The AIV sector has several strengths, including the presence of key stakeholders, abundant genetic resources and an untapped market. Opportunities include the recognition of different seed classes, free trade areas, and the integration of seed systems, allowing farmer and small seed companies to enter the seed business. Owing to climate uncertainty and nutrient deficiencies, there is an urgent need to develop seed regulations for AIVs to ensure that the vegetable sector can fully develop and contribute to food system resilience.
... This reduced cultivation is made worse by the fact that the consumption of indigenous species is mainly common among the elderly and women in rural areas, considered by the younger generation and urban dwellers as food used during times of food insecurity (Imathiu, 2021). Weinberger and Msuya (2004) in their study in Asia found that wealthier households are less likely to consume indigenous vegetables, possibly due to the preference for exotic vegetables. ...
The global food system's reliance on a few species threatens food and nutritional security. Species diversification, including indigenous species, is a viable option to address this issue. Diversity enhances food systems' resilience against climatic and economic shocks. It offers resources for improved breeds and allows farmers to mitigate risks. However, successful diversification demands collaboration among farmers, researchers, academics, professionals, retailers, consumers, and policymakers. This review analyzes the role of crop species diversity in food system transformation, focusing on monoculture vulnerabilities, diversification benefits, indigenous species' role in nutrition and food security, and the importance of integrated policies and multi-stakeholder collaborations. We advocate for interdisciplinary research, participatory approaches, and supportive policies to foster diverse, resilient food systems that ensure food security, biodiversity
... The concentration of sodium and magnesium are reported for the first time in the current study. However, other studies indicate a range of calcium concentrations of 0.107 -2.14 mg/g, Iron 0.0113 -0.262 mg/g, and Zinc 0.00056 -0.00579 mg/g, which are significantly lower than those reported in this study 35,[39][40][41] . These differences may be attributed to differences in soil characteristics and com-position from which the samples were obtained. ...
Background
Launaea cornuta is a vegetable with therapeutic advantage for human diseases.
Objective
Evaluate nutritive and non-nutritive components, antioxidant activity, and Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy profile of L. cornuta leaves.
Methods
Proximate, nutri, non-nutrient, percentage phenolic, flavonoid, alkaloid, and saponin contents were investigated using standard procedures. Total phenolic and flavonoids of the extracts were determined spectroscopically. Antioxidant activity and functional groups in the extracts were characterised by 2.2- diphenyl-2-picryl-hydrazyl radical and FTIR spectroscopy, respectively.
Results
Carbohydrates were the most abundant (57.61±0.61 %), and crude lipids were the least abundant (4.26±0.20 %) in L. cornuta. Essential amino acids were present in varying concentrations, and histidine was the most abundant (251.20±2.00 mg/100 g dw). Calcium was the most abundant mineral element (820.49±1.05 µg/g dw). High concentrations of phenols (13.07±0.60 %) and low amounts of saponins (2.19±0.10 %) were recorded. Methanolic and aqueous leaf extracts revealed total phenols of 83.10±4.32 and 57.77 ±1.65 mgGAE/g dw, respectively, while total flavonoids were 8.00±0.01 and 7.99±0.03 mgCE/g of dry weight, respectively. Aqueous extract had significant DPPH radical scavenging efficacy (IC50 =72.96± 0.32 µg/ml) compared to 681.57± 2.21 jg/ml for methanol extract.
Conclusions
L. cornuta contain phytochemicals with health benefits for averting oxidative stress related diseases.
The semi-arid and dry regions of South Africa experience shortages of water resources, which poses major challenges to livelihoods exacerbated by climate change. Despite the importance of indigenous food crops in optimizing water conservation, limited research has been conducted on effective strategies for promoting indigenous crops. This paper explores the potential of indigenous crops in optimizing water conservation in South Africa. This review paper adhered to the Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta-Analyses checklist to ensure transparency, rigor, and reproducibility. A comprehensive literature search was conducted across several databases, including Sco-pus, Web of Science, and Google Scholar. This review found that indigenous crops, such as sorghum and cowpeas, have innate traits that enable them to flourish in environments where water resources are limited. According to the findings of this study, these indigenous crops are resilient to drought and optimize water use efficiency. This review recommends the creation of a national database for indigenous climate-resilient food crops, which can act as an information hub for research and development. In maximizing the water use efficiency of indigenous crops, sustainable water management techniques remain critical. The results of this study have important implications for sustainable agriculture and water conservation in South Africa.
Due to urbanization, several underutilized/traditional/unconventional food crops are becoming extinct from nature. Encouraging communities to continue propagating these crops is necessary to perpetuate their beneficial attributes. These include supporting a healthier diet for indigenous populations that have been consuming these crops for ages, thereby, in a way, protecting the interaction between people and nature. Moreover, the cultivation of these crops promotes the diversification of species, providing a wider gene pool. In Asian and African countries (mostly underdeveloped or developing countries), many people suffer from hidden hunger and face malnutrition. Nowadays, the term “superfood” has garnered everyone’s attention, which has often been associated with the marketing strategy to promote exotic fruits and vegetables with nutraceutical properties. The superfoods have been associated with the presence of many compounds, including vitamins and other phytochemicals (phenolic acids, flavonoids, proanthocyanidins, hydrolyzable tannins, carotenoids, and anthocyanins), including antioxidant, anti-inflammatory, prebiotic, antimicrobial, and hypocholesterolemic activities, that play an important role in reducing the risk of serious diseases. However, these foods are often costlier and inaccessible to the majority of the population. In this regard, several underutilized or neglected crops can be elevated to the status of superfoods, thereby nourishing the undernourished and poor people of undeveloped countries. This chapter, therefore, attempts to discuss the status of nutrition in Asian and African countries, along with the potential of several unconventional and traditional food crops that can be utilized to achieve the goal of zero hunger.
Traditional African vegetables (TAVs) are an important component of an ecologically sustainable approach to addressing food and nutrition security in Africa. This review aims to identify the scope of the knowledge translation literature that exists across multiple aspects of the TAV value chain and to identify gaps in knowledge translation research. A scoping review following the Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta-Analyses extension for Scoping Reviews (PRISMA-ScR) was conducted. The Population, Concept, and Context (PCC) framework was used to guide the development of inclusion and exclusion criteria for this review. The Web of Science, Scopus, Science Direct, and ABI/Inform databases were searched to identify the relevant studies which were then screened using the Covidence 2024 online software to select studies and extract information for analysis and reporting. A total of 182 studies/articles were selected and examined. The most significant knowledge documented about TAVs pertains to their vast genetic diversity contributing to their rich nutritional and medicinal properties, their ability to withstand harsh environmental conditions such as drought, pests, and diseases, as well as the effects of various post-handling techniques on the nutrient content of TAVs, with the production phase of the TAV value chain being the most studied. This review found that, although a breadth of knowledge about TAVs has been generated, there is still little documentation about transferring and utilizing this knowledge across the TAV value chain. This review identified that more research is needed to document the strategies and practices for the transfer and utilization of knowledge to ensure that it is utilized to enhance nutritional outcomes across Africa.
Traditional African vegetables (TAV) are an important component of an ecologically sustainable approach to addressing food and nutrition security in Africa (countries?). This review aims to identify the scope of the knowledge translation literature that exists across multiple aspects of the TAV value chain and to identify gaps in knowledge translation research. A scoping review following the Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta-Analyses extension for Scoping Reviews (PRISMA-ScR) was conducted. The Population, Concept, and Context (PCC) framework was used to guide the development of inclusion and exclusion criteria for this review. Web of Science, Scopus, Science direct and ABI/Inform databases were searched to identify relevant studies which were then screened using the Covidence online software to select studies and extract information for analysis and reporting. A total of 182 studies/articles were selected and examined. The most significant knowledge documented about TAVs is their vast genetic diversity contributing to their rich nutritional and medicinal properties, their ability to withstand harsh environmental conditions such as drought, pests, and diseases as well as the effects of various post-handling techniques on nutrient content of TAVs with the production phase of TAVs value chain being the most studied. This review found that although there is a breadth of knowledge created about TAVs, there is still little documentation of transferring and utilizing of this knowledge across the TAVs value chain. This review identified that more research is needed to document strategies and practices for the transfer and utilisation of knowledge to ensure it is utilized to enhance nutritional outcomes across Africa.
Farm crop diversity is often overlooked, predominantly indigenous crops’ role in this diversity. The main concentration has been on the contribution or role of exotic crops to household crop diversification. At the same time, the role played by both types of crops in household food security has only been aggregated, failing to show how indigenous crops play a key role in household food security. This research paper uses Tanzanian Panel data from waves 4 and 5 to study the factors influencing indigenous and exotic crop diversification and the role of this diversity in household food security. Using a random effect model, the author found that various factors are crucial in determining household crop diversification. Gender, household size, marital status, and expected harvest quantity are among the key factors influencing indigenous crop diversification. On the other hand, age, education, access to markets, access to irrigation services, and soil quality are the primary factors that affect the diversification of exotic crops. Moreover, the findings show that indigenous and exotic crop diversity significantly influences household food consumption. Thus, policies to increase the production of indigenous crops in order to improve household food consumption should be considered.
An increasing demand of agricultural intensification and value addition necessitates the use of improved inputs such as improved seed. Smallholder farmers contribute about 70% of agricultural production in Tanzania. Agriculture sector in Tanzania contributes about 24.1% of the GDP, 30% of exports and 65% of industrial raw materials. Thus, agriculture development, economic growth and industrialization are inseparable. Due to the nature of the product, smallholder farmers cannot judge the overall excellence of seed at the time of buying. This paper assessed quality uncertainty in maize and vegetable seed and its implication for market exchange between farmers and seed sellers in Kilolo district, Iringa Tanzania. The study used a random sample of 130 smallholder farmers and representatives from ten seed companies. Asymmetric information prevails between the two trading sides, i.e. sellers and buyers, leading into quality uncertainty. Moreover, product augmentation is profoundly overlooked whereby most of seed companies have not augmented their products. Because an improved seed is a quintessential example of an experience good, quality uncertainty of some crop varieties under field conditions favored some seed brands to be used more by farmers compared to others. This paper offers a thorough deduction on quality uncertainty under farmers' field condition and its implication on market exchange. It adds information in the body of knowledge on how an improved seed can contribute to sustainable production of food and industrial raw materials, which is a step towards desired industrialization agenda in Tanzania.
The benefits of nature-based tourism to biodiversity conservation are often presumed but rarely quantified. The relative value placed on attributes of nature parks is unknown, as is the contribution of biodiversity to tourists willingness to visit a particular protected area. We surveyed tourists and foreign residents in Uganda to determine how preferences for particular protected areas are formed. We evaluated tourists demand for elevated biodiversity levels (increased numbers of bird species seen), relative to other protected areas attributes. As the number of bird species increased, tourists demonstrated increased willingness to visit a protected area, independently of all other factors. We used these results to evaluate a revenue-maximizing park management strategy, and consider how revenues from nature-based tourism compare with those from local agricultural land-uses.
Eight green vegetables commonly grown in Dar es Salaam were analyzed for their contents of crude proteins, 4 macro minerals (Mg, K, Ca and Na) and 7 heavy metals (Pb, Cd, Zn, Cu, Mn, Cr and Fe). The values of crude proteins ranged between 1.03-5.23% on fresh weight. These vegetables were found to be rich in macro minerals. The levels of Pb and Cd in some vegetables were above the permissible limits recommended by FAO/WHO. Overall data have, however, indicated that consumption of these vegetables is unlikely to pose any health hazard to the consumer, as these vegetables are good sources of some other essential elements.
In recent years, consumer concerns on environmental and health issues related to food products have increased and, as a result, the demand for organically grown production has grown. Higher costs of production and retailer margins generate a gap between real prices and those that consumers are willing to pay for organic food. In this article, consumer willingness to pay for organic food in two Spanish regions is analyzed. Markets in both regions are segmented considering consumers lifestyles. Results indicate that consumers concerned about healthy diet and environmental degradation are the most likely to buy organic food, and are willing to pay a high premium. Organic attributes are easily identified in perishable products as the premium consumers would pay for organic meat, fruits, and vegetables is higher.
A survey was carried out to determine the locally available leafy vegetables in three locations of Machakos District, Kenya. The most common vegetables were analyzed for vitamin C, beta‐carotene calcium, iron and oxalate. Consumption of wild and semi‐wild leafy vegetables was found to be common in the three locations especially during the dry seasons. Results of laboratory analyses revealed high levels of beta‐carotene and vitamin C, and iron, and moderate levels of the mineral calcium, in the majority of the vegetables. Most vegetables were found to satisfy more than 100% of the daily requirements for vitamins A and C and more than 50% of the mineral calcium for an adult male. Three of the vegetable species analyzed had high levels of oxalate.
Countries in West, Eastern and Southern Africa are pursuing the regional harmonization of their seed laws and regulations. Common regulatory frameworks are expected to reduce the costs of trading seed and encourage scale economies in seed production. As a result, commercial seed production is expected to expand, providing farmers with improved access to new varieties and stimulating productivity growth. The impact of these harmonization efforts will depend on the details of the regulatory agreements. Policy-makers are being asked to consider a complicated series of trade-offs between stricter measures for quality control and the need to encourage the multiplication and distribution of lower-cost seed. They are also being confronted with two possible views of sectoral development. One view entails the pursuit of better linkages between distinct national seed markets. The second involves the development of truly regionalized seed markets, where seed can be readily produced in one country and sold in any other country. This implies greater regional interdependence of seed supply. The paper compares the harmonization agreements being pursued in each of the three African regions and progress in implementing the accords. Efforts to adapt international seed market standards to the contingencies of African markets are discussed and priorities for further policy analysis are identified.