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Conservation and use of traditional vegetables in Uganda
Elizabeth Byanjeru Rubaihayo
NARO, Kawanda Agricultural Research Institute, Kampala, Uganda

Abstract

Uganda is endowed with agroclimatic conditions suitable for the cultivation of a wide range of African indigenous vegetables. However, few of these plants are domesticated, the majority being wild or volunteer plants. They are abundant in the rainy seasons but scarce during the dry season, except a few grown mainly for selling in trading centres and urban markets. Conservation is far from satisfactory. Most of the germplasm collected in 1943, 1969-74 and 1980-84 has been lost. Current efforts to collect and conserve traditional vegetables have been hampered by lack of funds. No collecting has been done since 1993. Documentation work was being done by the Agricultural Research Institute, but was stopped in 1993 when the taxonomist joined the Banana Research Programme. However, the National Agricultural Research Organization (NARO) is planning to revive conservation of traditional vegetables as a priority. The most important traditional vegetables in Uganda are Amaranthus spp., Phaseolus vulgaris, Phaseolus lunatus, Vigna unguiculata, Sesamum indicum, Manihot esculenta, Corchorus spp., Cucurbita spp. and Solarium aethiopicum. They contain protein, calcium, phosphorus, potassium, iron and vitamins A, B and C in important quantities and are either curative or preventive of a number of diseases. The list of traditional vegetables used as folk medicine is long, and includes Bidens pilosa, Cassia obtusifolia, Celosia argentea, Commelina benghalensis, Corchorus spp., Guizontia abyssinica, Hibiscus spp., Lagenaria siceraria, Luffa cylindrica, S. indicum, Solanum indicum subsp. distichum, Tamarindus indica and Tribulus spp. Traditional vegetables are also used to obtain various other products. Efforts are being made to increase awareness of the importance of traditional vegetables among rural women, and to encourage the general population to cultivate and consume these species.

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