Articles
USE AND CONSERVATION OF UNDERUTILIZED CROPS IN MOZAMBIQUE
Article number
918_54
Pages
427 – 432
Language
English
Abstract
Indigenous vegetables and fruits can play an important role in food security, food diversification, in nutrition and as food alternative particularly when drought affects normal food production.
Mozambique is facing cyclic drought over the past 10 years, affecting food production and causing food insecurity.
To reduce the negative impact of drought, different measures are under studies either introducing crops more tolerant as cereals, root crops and vegetables or adopting appropriate technologies and infrastructures to reduce the losses.
On vegetable production, besides testing exotic crops and cultivars more tolerant to drought, there is an important alternative by bringing also indigenous vegetables and fruits into the world of science and technology.
In rural areas, people already use these indigenous cultivars as their daily diet and more particularly when drought is severely affecting normal crops production.
Some assessments have been carried out since before the Independence of Mozambique (1975) until nowadays and as result some publications are available but requiring to bring all these information into National Program involving research, seed collection, characterization, followed by ways of use and conservation for improvement of food security, nutrition and also as an aid value for income generation particularly for women who are the most and particularly involved in the entire chain from harvesting to consumption of these products.
As result of some studies, discussions and individual or institutional participation at national, regional and international fora on indigenous vegetables and fruits, in 2010 the Ministry of Science and Technology has informally decided for the creation of a Multidisciplinary Working Group involving members from the Agrarian Research Institute of Mozambique, Department of Nutrition from the Ministry of Health and the Faculty of Agronomy with the task of elaborating a proposal for the creation of a National Program on Indigenous Vegetables and Fruits, hoping that the final draft can be submitted along 2011.
Mozambique is facing cyclic drought over the past 10 years, affecting food production and causing food insecurity.
To reduce the negative impact of drought, different measures are under studies either introducing crops more tolerant as cereals, root crops and vegetables or adopting appropriate technologies and infrastructures to reduce the losses.
On vegetable production, besides testing exotic crops and cultivars more tolerant to drought, there is an important alternative by bringing also indigenous vegetables and fruits into the world of science and technology.
In rural areas, people already use these indigenous cultivars as their daily diet and more particularly when drought is severely affecting normal crops production.
Some assessments have been carried out since before the Independence of Mozambique (1975) until nowadays and as result some publications are available but requiring to bring all these information into National Program involving research, seed collection, characterization, followed by ways of use and conservation for improvement of food security, nutrition and also as an aid value for income generation particularly for women who are the most and particularly involved in the entire chain from harvesting to consumption of these products.
As result of some studies, discussions and individual or institutional participation at national, regional and international fora on indigenous vegetables and fruits, in 2010 the Ministry of Science and Technology has informally decided for the creation of a Multidisciplinary Working Group involving members from the Agrarian Research Institute of Mozambique, Department of Nutrition from the Ministry of Health and the Faculty of Agronomy with the task of elaborating a proposal for the creation of a National Program on Indigenous Vegetables and Fruits, hoping that the final draft can be submitted along 2011.
Authors
J.M. Tembe
Keywords
indigenous vegetables and fruits, drought tolerance, survey, aid value, women training, crop chain, National Program
Online Articles (128)