Rediscovering indigenous vegetables

Children help out in the garden of vegetables. PHOTO BY LOMINDA AFEDRARU

What you need to know:

Though indigenous vegetables are neglected in favour of other crops, they can be a source of income for farmers. Lominda Afedraru talked to farmers who are benefitting from the greens.

Despite Sub-Saharan Africa being home to hundreds of indigenous vegetables, a source of vitamins and minerals, they have not been mainstreamed in staple diets.
Consumers complain of inconsistent supply and low quality, which is due to the seasonality of supply, long distances between production and consumption areas and poor post-harvest handling.
Traditionally, vegetables were gathered from cultivated lands near homesteads and sometimes together with uncultivated fruits from bushes and forests in the vicinity.

Regaining popularity
Some indigenous vegetables have higher nutrient content than exotic, high-yielding vegetables that have progressively replaced them since colonial times.
African traditional vegetables were a big part of people’s diet and culture until modern vegetables like cabbage and carrots were introduced.
In the past few years, however, traditional vegetables have slowly been regaining popularity.
The once neglected vegetables are now being grown by small scale farmers and sold in open markets and supermarkets, and eaten by both rural and urban populations.
There are more than 300 different species of African traditional vegetables that have been eaten in East Africa for many years. These vegetables are known for their nutritive as well as medicinal value.

Earning income
Against this backdrop, there is an initiative to rejuvenate growing of the indigenous vegetables in East Africa.
Centre for Agricultural Biosciences International (Cabi) is involved in sensitising farmers to grow these vegetables and promoting them as part of the diet as well as an income-earning activity.
In Uganda, different vegetables are grown in different regions. They have various traditional names depending on the area and language used.
The vegetables include Amaranth species commonly known as Amaranthus dubius (dodo), Gynandropsis gynandra (African spider or nakkati), African eggplant, Hibiscus sabdariffa (malakwang), Crotalaria ochroleuca (Alayu), Hibiscus esculentus (Okra), Jute mallow ( Otigo lwoka), Vigna unguiculata (cow pea—for the leaves) Boo, Manihot esculentum (cassava—for the leaves) and Cucurbita maxima (pumpkin—for the leaves).

Farmers growing indigenous vegetables in the central Uganda mainly concentrate on nakkati and Amaranth, which they grow on large scale, especially in Wakiso District.
These farmers also consult experts in research institutes such as Mukono Zonal Agricultural Research and Development Institute (Muzardi) and the National Crops Resources Research Institute in Namulonge on agronomic practices and related matters.
It is a different story for the vegetable farmers in Lira District.

They mainly depend on their traditional knowledge and rely on older farmers with more experience. The indigenous vegetables, in particularly the northern region, have been categorised as orphaned plants, which receive less attention in the research agenda.
Geoffrey Otim, an expert who works with Integrated Seed Sector Development (ISSD) in Lira, explains that a collaborative effort with Ngetta Zonal Agricultural Research and Development Institute (Nzardi) is handling these crops.

Process own seed
The farmers in Lira District have a challenge of accessing clean quality seed. Although they could process their own seed, they need guidance. As such, many are planting what is known to be grain not seed, thereby end up with poor yields.
In a bid to revamp growing of the neglected vegetables, ISSD and Nzardi are helping selected farmers’ groups. They are being linked to experts at the national seed certification centre at ministry of Agriculture to help them process their own seed.
This is because most seed companies concentrate on crops such as maize, which they see as having a bigger commercial value.
However, a farmers’ group in Barowor village in Lira are already multiplying indigenous vegetable seed albeit on small scale.
Farmers are also taught to follow recommended practices such as spacing, regular weeding and intercropping.

ISIDORO

My name is Isidoro Okello, 35. I am married with four children.
I am a farmer who grows indigenous vegetables mainly cow pea, okra, malakwang, alayu, and sometimes Jute Mallow.
I farm on our family land in Ayano village, in Kole District. I have demarcated a half an acre for each vegetable.
I started this business 10 years ago with 10kgs of malakwang seeds, which I obtained from a fellow farmer. Now, a kilo of the same costs Shs500, cow pea costs Shs2,000 per kg and a sacket of jute mallow is at Shs11,000.

Most farmers growing vegetables face the challenge of pest infestation and fluctuating prices.
During dry seasons, a sack of malakwang, weighing 25 to 50 kg is sold between Shs50,000 and Shs70,000 but during the rainy season, it may cost less.
Cow pea leaves are sold between Shs30,000 to Shs50,000 per sack.
During rainy seasons, it may cost as low as Shs15,000.
But the advantage of growing these vegetables is that they can be planted all year round.
In a year, I am able to harvest about six tonnes of malakwang because it matures after two months but cow pea leaves matures in a month.
In one season, especially during the dry season, I may be in position to get up to Shs600,000 in sales. About Shs150,000 is spent on labour which involves preparation of the land, weeding and watering.

Jute mallow is sold in basins. During dry seasons, each basin costs Shs30,000 but during rainy seasons, it may go for Shs5,000 per basin. But most farmers are grow alayu for home consumption.
Most farmers do not belong to groups because Naads officials who come to sensitise farmers here concentrate on other crops and not green vegetables.
From my farm proceeds, I am able to pay school fees for my children and I have managed to purchase a bull, which I use for ox ploughing.

JANNAN

I am Jannan Okoth, 44. I grow malakwang and cow pea on a two-acre piece of land. I have been doing this for 15 years. Occasionally, I grow eggplant and tomatoes.
In a year, I get Shs1.5m from vegetable sales during dry seasons. In rainy seasons, it varies between Shs400,000 and Shs500,000.

Malakwang is mainly infested with glow worms, which I understand are haboured in the soil. The farmers here have nicknamed it “ebola”.
On average, I spend Shs200,000 on labour. I have five heads of cattle and I am constructing a permanent building, which I hope will be complete by the end of the year. I also pay school fees for my seven children from the proceeds.
Previously, I grew soya beans but I do not regret venturing into vegetable growing.

JACQUELINE

I am Jacqueline Adong, 35. I have five children and my husband is sickly so I take care of everything.
I mainly grow cow pea because within one month, it is ready for sale. As such, it is a source of quick income.
The cow pea is on two pieces of land that total two acres. So, I am able to alternate for purposes of allowing the land to fallow in between planting seasons.
I have been doing this for the last five years. The price of a sack is Shs30, 000 during the rainy season. When it is a dry season, in a week, I am able to get at least Shs45,000.

My major challenge is processing good quality seed. But I joined a village saving group, where I am allowed to borrow Shs30,000 for buying seed each time I am ready to plant.
With the proceeds from selling the vegetable, I save at least Shs10,000 with the group

DAVIS

My name is Davis Alange, 34, and my wife is Betty Alange, 28. We have six children, the elder is in Senior Four.
We started growing vegetables as a family in 1997, mainly malakwang and cow pea, on two acres.
Intially, it was half an acre before we expanded. At most, we earned Shs20,000 per season but now in a season, especially during the dry season, it is about Shs80,000 from sale of malakwang.
What I have realised is that if I plant malakwang with maize, there are better yield and avoid insects from destroying the leaves. The maize provides shed for the vegetables.

Our land is located in both wetland and upland. During dry season, we plant malakwang three times but when the rains start, we grow them upland.
In most cases, we balance between malakwang and cow pea depending on the market. Sometimes, we leave the land to fallow for it to regain fertility.
Apart from the challenges faced , I managed to pay dowry for my wife, pay school fees for my children, and to construct a semi-permanent house. I have two bulls and two cows to widen my income base.