Utilization of indigenous food plants in Uganda: A case study of south-western Uganda

Abstract

The purpose of the study was to document and establish the traditional processing methods of indigenous food plants in Rukungiri district. In order to establish the status and level of utilization and processing of indigenous food plants in southwestern Uganda, a baseline survey was carried out using a participatory method of data collection. Respondents in Rukungiri district cited a total of 94 plants that were used for food. Some of the food plants were classified as indigenous to the area, while others were classified as exotic. The food types generally fell into five broad categories, namely; vegetables, fruits, roots/tubers, pulses and cereals. Vegetables and fruits were the most commonly used food plants and the Amaranths species were found to be the most popular vegetables, whereas wild plums (Carissa edulis) and gooseberries (Physalis minima) were cited among the preferred fruit species. In spite of the fact that indigenous/traditional food plants have always ensured food security at the household level, the process of collecting them from the wild, their production,consumption and domestication was found to be on the decline in this area. This decline can be attributed to limited available knowledge on their nutritional content and to the emphasis that is placed on commercial, high yielding exotic plants by both the agricultural extension officers and farmers. The majority of farmers are only interested in the cultivation of crops from which they can earn an income, and because no one has cultivated indigenous food plants with the intention of earning an income from them, the plants have not proved their worth. Although the methods of utilization, especially food preparation, varied from one household to another, boiling, steaming and frying were very common and cross-cutting almost all the households. The principal mode of food preservation cited by households, especially for seeds, was sun drying.

Validating the Role of African Indigenous Vegetables for Food and Nutrition Security in Uganda

“…Besides, most indigenous vegetables still grow in the wild, lack recommended agronomic practices, have short shelf life, inadequate preservation and storage practices. Moreover, many are still regarded as weeds of low value [2,3] and susceptible to a number of production constraints [20]. In fact, the promotion and integration of indigenous vegetables into farming systems would assist in their protracted use for food and nutrition security as well eventual conservation.…”

“…According to Muchunguzi et al [3], indigenous vegetables are used in many ways to improve the diet and health of people in developing countries. Because of the multiple uses and plant parts that can be eaten, indigenous vegetables play an important role in food security [4].…”

“…Accordingly, integration of indigenous vegetables into the farming systems would improve their potential utilization [3]. According to Uusiku et al [8], consumption of AIVs helps in maintaining a balanced diet and averting the chronic effects of malnutrition.…”

“…Accordingly, indigenous vegetables range from wild to cultivated species with varying categories of domestication including wild but harvested in time of food scarcity, wild but regularly harvested or semi-wild, partly protected or harvested from fallow land, cultivated in mixtures (patches) in traditional farming systems, and cultivated in small-scale market gardens [1][2][3]. Consequently, exploiting the agronomic and yield potential of these vegetables would be of fundamental importance for food and nutrition security as well livelihoods strategies of households threatened by migration, civil disorder, or diseases such as HIV/AIDS.…”

Analysis of micronutrients variations among sweet potato (Ipomoea batatas [L.] Lam) genotypes in Malawi

“…In order to address the prevalent micronutrient deficiencies directly, the conventional approach is supplementation, food fortification, dietary diversification and nutrition education (Laurie and Faber, 2008). Food based approaches to nutrition improvement are well documented worldwide (Musinguzi et al, 2006;Nawiri et al, 2012) and in such methods, choice of candidate crops is critical. Sweet potato is a logical choice for such interventions as the crop is nutrient rich and widely cultivated ranking second after cassava in area and production in the tropical and sub-tropical regions (FAOSTAT, 2012;Boney et al, 2014).…”