Addressing constraints in promoting wild edible plants’ utilization in household nutrition: case of the Congo Basin forest area

Abstract

It is worth raising the question, why are wild edible plants (WEPs) which are rich in diverse nutrients and widely abundant underutilized despite the increasing rate of undernourishment in poor regions? One reason is that their culinary uses are not quantified and standardized in nutrition surveys, and therefore, they are not properly included in household diet intensification and diversification across regions and cultures. Active steps are needed to bridge this gap. This paper outlines the constraints to including WEPs in nutritional surveys as the lack of standard ways of food identification of diverse WEPs, lack of specific food categorization and therefore difficult dissemination across regions and cultures. As a way forward, a functional categorization of 11 subgroups for WEPs is introduced and discussed. In labeling these sub-food groups, the paper advocates that more WEPs food items and culinary uses should be enlisted during household nutrition surveys. Food researchers could then capitalize these enlisted species and disseminate them to promote diverse food use of WEPs in other regions where they exist but are not utilized as food.

Wild Edible Fruits: A Systematic Review of an Under-Researched Multifunctional NTFP (Non-Timber Forest Product)

“…In central Africa alone, as many as 500 species of plants and 85 species of animals collected from forests and savannas contribute to the household economy [5]. In tropical and low-income countries, NTFPs are widely used for medicine [5][6][7] and nutrition [8,9]. Bushmeat is an important source of protein for rural and forest-dwelling communities [10], while animal parts are featured in ceremonial practices in various cultures [11].…”

Assessment of nutritional water productivity and improvement strategies for traditional vegetables in South Africa

“…There is a need to increase the consumption of vegetables as a strategic intervention for addressing micronutrient (iron and zinc) and vitamin A deficiency. This can be done by constructing sustainable food systems that are inclusive of both rich and poor, and that are highly nutritious, climate-smart, and health-focused (Bello and Walker, 2017;IFPRI 2016;Mabhaudhi et al, 2016a;Tata-Ngome et al, 2017).…”

“…Consuming nutrient-dense vegetables is a first step in alleviating micronutrient deficiency. The World Health Organisation recommends a vegetable intake of at least 400 g person -1 day -1 for a healthy and nutritious life; a requirement that is not met by half of the countries in SSA (Tata-Ngome et al, 2017). Sub-Saharan Africa has a wide variety of traditional leafy vegetables (TLVs') that are rich in vitamins, carotenoids, and other micronutrients (iron, zinc, magnesium) (Chivenge et al, 2015;Gido et al, 2017;Mabhaudhi et al, 2016b;Tata-Ngome et al, 2017;.…”

“…The World Health Organisation recommends a vegetable intake of at least 400 g person -1 day -1 for a healthy and nutritious life; a requirement that is not met by half of the countries in SSA (Tata-Ngome et al, 2017). Sub-Saharan Africa has a wide variety of traditional leafy vegetables (TLVs') that are rich in vitamins, carotenoids, and other micronutrients (iron, zinc, magnesium) (Chivenge et al, 2015;Gido et al, 2017;Mabhaudhi et al, 2016b;Tata-Ngome et al, 2017;. However, TLVs' are underutilised because of lack of information on their yield response to water and fertiliser, the threat of becoming extinct when collected from the wild or as "weeds" next to cropped land, and limited insight into the factors affecting their nutritional content (Mavengahama et al, 2013).…”

“…These factors undermine the potential of TLVs' to contribute to nutritional food security. Traditional leafy vegetables present advantages over alien vegetables; their abundance in the ''wild'' or next to cereal crops, their high nutrient concentration (iron, zinc, β-carotene, magnesium), their drought tolerance, their resistance to pests and diseases, and the low need to apply water and fertiliser (Keatinge et al, 2011;Mavengahama et al, 2013;Tata-Ngome et al, 2017;Uusiku et al, 2010). These characteristics make TLVs' ideal crops for RRPHs.…”