INDIGENOUS VEGETABLE CROPS OF TANZANIA: RESEARCH AND DEVELOPMENT NEEDS

The contribution of indigenous vegetables (IVs) in food security and income generation in Tanzania cannot be overemphasized, yet they have not been developed and until recently, research on them has been low-key, scanty, discontinuous, exploratory in nature and reported in ‘grey’ literature.
The paper discusses the status of indigenous crops in Tanzania and reasons for the status quo including acquisition of new taste for exotic vegetable and less respect for the indigenous ones accompanied by erosion of indigenous knowledge (IK) and culture.
To this effect, IV crops have lagged behind ‘major’ staples in research and extension services.
Also there has been a non-intentional exclusion of indigenous crops in the training curricula capped by the fact that IVs and horticulture at large has been in the realm of women who are not well represented in key decision making forums.
Current efforts by different stakeholders in sensitization and promotion for higher production and utilization are outlined.
Research areas to rekindle IVs and knowledge in Tanzania include inventorization, documentation, and mapping them followed by prioritization of species for further research in areas of biodiversity notably for the solanaceous vegetables and the gelatinous group of IVs collectively known as mlenda, backed by ex-situ germplasm conservation.
As a prelude to studying the agronomic requirements of the most important ones, there is need to characterize their adaptation to biotic and abiotic stresses and improve on it.
In the area of utilization, the nutritive and non-nutritive qualities of IVs need to be studied both as fresh materials and post-harvest after monitored processing, preservation and storage.

I International Conference on Indigenous Vegetables and Legumes. Prospectus for Fighting Poverty, Hunger and Malnutrition

A.M.S. Nyomora, Adah Mwasha

Lesser known crops, traditional crops

https://doi.org/10.17660/ActaHortic.2007.752.115