|
A report by the National Research Council, released in October of 2006, indicates that many of Africa’s overlooked native vegetables could help relieve the continent’s hunger crisis and strengthen rural economies.1 The National Research Council is a nonprofit institution of the (United States) National Academies, which provide science, technology, and health policy advice to the federal government and the public.
The 378-page report is the second volume in a series titled Lost Crops of Africa. The authors of the report stress that greater interest into exploring many of Africa’s native vegetables, which have received little attention in the past from the research community, could lead to enhanced agricultural productivity, stable food supplies, and higher incomes in rural African areas. Eighteen indigenous vegetables are specifically highlighted in the report for their potential value in addressing Africa’s health and economic needs and in recognition of their often neglected status among scientists and policymakers. Such featured vegetables include amaranth (Amaranthus spp.), moringa (Moringa oleifera), baobab (Adansonia digitata), egusi (Citrullus lanatus), and shea (Vitellaria paradoxa), among others.
The first volume in the Lost Crops of Africa series was published in 1996, and it focused on the value of Africa’s neglected native grains and cereals. A third and final volume, regarding Africa’s native fruits, is still in development.
The report on African vegetables may be ordered in paperback or PDF form or read for free online at http://books.nap.edu/catalog/11763.html.
-Courtney Cavaliere
Reference
1. Native vegetables could help solve Africa’s food crisis and boost weak rural economies [press release]. Washington DC: The National Academies; October 31, 2006.
|