Dietary values of wild and semi-wild edible plants in Southern Ethiopia

Ethnobotanical studies have shown that many wild plant species are sporadically consumed alongside regular food sources in developing countries. Many plants of wild and semi-wild origin are consumed in the remote parts of southern Ethiopia. Dietetic values of Ethiopia’s non-crop food plants, though important in prevention of malnutrition and contribution to food security, remains shrouded for lack of chemical information. The chemical composition of popularly used wild edibles in Hamar and Konso (Xonso) of southern Ethiopia was examined. The most preferred 15 semi-wild and wild edible plants were selected using a mix of standard ethnobotanical field methods. Edible parts of target plants were collected with local participants, lyophilized and analyzed for proximate composition, amino acids, minerals and anti-nutritional factors. The wild edibles constituted good amounts of nutrients essential in human diet. Green leafy vegetables (GLVs) gave 1.5-5.8% ether extractives and total mineral composition of 12.5%-25.6%; Ca being highest (1100 - 3419 mg %) and exceptionally high for Justicia ladanoides (6177 mg %). Fe, Mg, Mn and Zn ranged from 11.7-23.14, 175-2049, 3.4-9.9 and 1.2-3.3 mg %, respectively. All GLVs contained ≥20% protein, highest in Coccinia grandis (36.3%). The latter species and Trigonella foenum-graecum yielded high lysine level. Anti-nutrients of concern include phenolics (158-1564 mg %) and tannins (448-2254 mg %) in GLVs and phenolics (1997mg %) and tannins (6314 mg %) in Ximenia caffra fruits. Total oxalates in mg % were high in Amaranthus graecizans (14067), Celosia argentea (12706) and Portulaca quadrifida (10162). Bulk consumption of monotype edible plant part in one meal may lead to nutritional and health impairment. However, traditional processing methods lower most of the anti-nutritionals and their respective risks. New food composition tables that integrate indigenous knowledge and nutritional content of the semi-wild and wild edibles are recommended. Wild edibles can be considered to improve livelihood security and reduce malnutrition in tune with the Millennium Development Goals aimed at reducing poverty and hunger

Capturing views of men, women and youth on agricultural biodiversity resources consumed in Barotseland, Zambia

This paper presents data and findings from focus group discussions in study communities selected by the CGIAR Research Program on Aquatic Agricultural Systems (AAS) in the Western Province of Zambia. The discussions focused on cultivated crops and vegetables collected from open fields and consumed as food. Participatory tools for agricultural biodiversity (agrobiodiversity) assessment were used to capture community perspectives on plant species and varietal diversity; factors influencing the availability and use of plants for food; unique, common and rare crop species cultivated in a community, identified through a four-cell analysis methodology; and core problems, root causes, effects and necessary actions to tackle them, using problem tree or situation analysis methods

Nutrients and bioactive compounds content of Baillonella toxisperma, Trichoscypha abut and Pentaclethra macrophylla from Cameroon

Baillonella toxisperma, Pentaclethra macrophylla and Trichoscypha abut are important foods for communities living around forests in Cameroon. Information on the nutritional value and bioactive content of these foods is required to establish their contribution to the nutrition and health of the communities. Samples of the three foods were obtained from four villages in east and three villages in south Cameroon. The foods were analyzed for proximate composition, minerals and bioactive content using standard chemical analysis methods. T. abut was found to be an excellent source of bioactive compounds; flavonoids (306 mg/100 g), polyphenols (947 mg/100 g), proanthocyanins (61.2 mg/100 g), vitamin C (80.05 mg/100 g), and total oxalates (0.6 mg/100 g). P. macrophylla was found to be a rich source of total fat (38.71%), protein (15.82%) and total fiber (17.10%) and some bioactive compounds; vitamin E (19.4 mg/100 g) and proanthocyanins (65.0 mg/100 g). B. toxisperma, was found to have high content of carbohydrates (89.6%), potassium (27.5 mg/100 g) and calcium (37.5 mg/100 g). Flavonoids, polyphenols, vitamins C and E are the main bioactive compounds in these forest foods. The daily consumption of some of these fruits may coffer protection against some ailments and oxidative stress. Approximately 200 g of either B. toxisperma or P. macrophylla, can supply 100% iron and zinc RDAs for children aged 1–3 years, while 300 g of the two forest foods can supply about 85% iron and zinc RDAs for non-pregnant non-lactating women. The three foods provide 100% daily vitamins C and E requirements for both adults and children. The results of this study show that Baillonella toxisperma, Pentaclethra macrophylla and Trichoscypha abut can considerably contribute towards the human nutrient requirements. These forest foods also contain substantial levels of health promoting phytochemicals notably flavonoids, polyphenols, vitamins C and E. These foods therefore have potential to promote nutrition and health, especially among forest dependent communities who consume them in substantial amounts

Assessment of agrobiodiversity resources in the Borotse flood plain, Zambia

Concerns about perceived loss of indigenous materials emerged from multiple stakeholders during consultations to plan and design the CGIAR Research Program on Aquatic Agricultural Systems for the Borotse hub in Zambia’s Western Province. To come to grips with and address the concerns, the AAS Borotse hub program of work included an assessment of agrobiodiversity to inform community-level and program initiatives and actions. The agrobiodiversity assessment comprised three components: key informant and expert surveys complemented by review of grey and published literature, focus group discussions in the communities, and individual household surveys. This working paper reports the findings from assessments of agrobiodiversity resources in the Borotse hub by key informants and local experts working in government ministries, departments and agencies, and non-governmental organizations operating in the communities.This working paper covers the following topics: agriculture in the Borotse flood plain; major agricultural land types in the Borotse flood plain; soils and their uses; production systems; crops, including the seed sector and ex-situ resources; indigenous materials collected from the wild, including non-perennial and perennial plants, aquatic plants, and forest biodiversity; fish resources, including both capture fisheries and aquaculture; livestock resources; dietary diversity; and indigenous and local knowledge on management systems

Agrobiodiversity and climate change: what do students need to know?

Key note paper presented at 2nd ANAFE International Symposium: ‘Mainstreaming climate change into agricultural education: tools, experiences and challenges’, Malawi, 2008. The paper informs that adaptation of production systems to climate change requires human capacity in agricultural biodiversity but a 2007 survey in African universities showed that education in this area is weak or absent. The authors argue that role of agricultural biodiversity in adaptation to climate change should be better understood, and that universities should seek to develop such competencies in their students. Universities should review curricula to include agricultural biodiversity dimensions through innovative, experiential teaching methods and active student participation

Collaborative effort to operationalize the gender transformative approach in the Barotse Floodplain

Agricultural interventions that aim at alleviating rural poverty have important gender implications. The paper explores a Gender Transformative Approach recognizing that fishing, post- harvest processing, and trading are all gendered activities. On the Barotse Floodplain (Zambia) women are relegated to perform tasks within less profitable nodes of the fish value chain. The assessment of ecosystem services in a select number of Aquatic Agricultural Systems (AAS) focal communities included women’s and men’s perspectives and diverse provisioning, regulating and cultural ecosystem services.Cultivate Africa’s Future Fund (CULTIAF

Cooperating to make the best use of plant genetic resources in West and Central Africa: a regional imperative

Plant genetic resources for food and agriculture are a precious heritage of the people of West and Central Africa. The region is endowed with diversified agroecosystems in which crop diversity plays an integral role by contributing to the provision of food and ecosystem services. There is a growing challenge, however, in ensuring that those resources are sustainability used and conserved for future generations. For example, in some parts of the region in situ crop diversity is threatened by a number of factors including unsustainable farming practices, changing food preferences, urbanization, and climate change. It is encouraging to note that despite these challenges, there is a growing awareness of the importance of plant genetic resources in West and Central Africa. This publication presents an overview of the collaborative efforts of key actors in the subregion over the last 10 years, from conservation programmes, to high-level regional directives, to national efforts to participate in the multilateral system of access and benefit sharing of the International Treaty on Plant Genetic Resources for Food and Agriculture. Overall, these papers make a compelling case for continued subregional (and global) cooperation to sustainably and equitably use and conserve plant genetic resources

La coopération pour le meilleur usage possible des ressources phytogénétiques en Afrique de l'Ouest et centrale : un impératif régional

Les ressources phytogénétiques pour l'alimentation et l'agriculture représentent un précieux héritage des peuples d’Afrique de l’Ouest et du Centre. La région est dotée d'agroécosystèmes diversifiés dont la diversité des cultures joue un rôle essentiel en contribuant à la fourniture de nourriture et des services éco-systémiques. Cependant, le défi devient de plus en plus croissant pour assurer l’utilisation durable et la conservation pour les générations futures. Par exemple, dans certaines parties de la région la diversité des cultures locales est menacée par un certain nombre de facteurs, dont des pratiques agricoles non durables, la modification des préférences alimentaires, l'urbanisation et le changement climatique. Il est toutefois encourageant de constater qu'en dépit de ces défis, il y a une prise de conscience croissante de l'importance des ressources phytogénétiques en Afrique de l’Ouest et du Centre. Cette publication fait la revue des efforts de collaboration des principaux acteurs de la sous-région au cours des dix dernières années, depuis les programmes de conservation jusqu’aux directives régionales de haut niveau et aux efforts nationaux pour participer au système multilatéral d'accès et de partage des avantages du Traité International sur les Ressources Phytogénétiques pour l'Alimentation et l'Agriculture. Dans l'ensemble, ces documents font un plaidoyer convaincant pour la coopération sous régionale (et mondiale) accrue pour l’utilisation et la conservation durable et équitable des ressources phytogénétiques

Farmers perceptions and adoption of new agricultural technology: evidence from analysis in Burkina Faso and Guinea, West Africa

Economists investigating consumer demand have accumulated considerable evidence showing that consumers generally have subjective preferences for characteristics of products and that their demand for products re-significantly affected by their perceptions of the product's attributes. However, the role of farmers, preferences on adoption decisions have received very limited attention in adoption studies conducted by economists. This paper tests the hypothesis that farmers' perceptions of technology characteristics significantly affect their adoption decisions. The analysis, conducted with Tobit models of modern sorghum and rice varietal technologies in Burkina Faso and Guinea, respectively, strongly supports this hypothesis. Our results provide a strong case for future adoption studies to expand the range of variables used away from the broad socio-economic, demographic and institutional factors to include farmers' subjective perceptions of the characteristics of new agricultural technologies