The roles of indigenous crops and plants

in improving nutrition

and fighting HIV/AIDS

Josep A. Garí

Food and Agriculture Organisation

of the United Nations (FAO)

Distance-learning training course to build national capacities for

integrating local knowledge into multi-sectoral AIDS projects

Vide-conference connection with various African countries

9 September 2005

Plants and human health Box 8. Plants and human health

medicinal plants

NUTRITION

HEALTH

crops and food plants

medicinal plants

NUTRITION

HEALTH

crops and food plants

STRATEGIC COMPONENTS

1. Traditional, neglected and under-utilised crops

2. Agricultural diversification

3. Home gardens

4. Wild food plants

5. Medicinal plants

6. Community seed systems

7. Livestock and agropastoral systems

agro-biodiversity indigenous knowledge

objectivesobjectives

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Source: Gari (2003)

nutrition / health

farm labour

economic security

agricultural management

• diet diversification / improving micronutrient intake• optimal use of local crop and food resources• recognition and support for the roles of rural women in agriculture, food production and nutrition• appropriate meals and diets for sick people• use of medicinal plants (primary healthcare)• nutrition as the first medicine for HIV/AIDS

• labour-saving practices / farm labour flexibility• options for farming under low-intensive labour• optimisation and diffusion of labour inputs

• low-input agriculture: lower production costs, higher farm net incomes• broader income and market alternatives• organic agriculture: inexpensive means for soil fertilisation and pest management• local seed access / farmer seed autonomy

• conservation of natural resources• environmental risk management (drought, pests)• use of marginal lands / coping with land shortages• transmission of agricultural resources and knowledge to rural youth and children• participatory research / farmer experimentation• maintaining the basis for rural reconstruction

TRADITIONAL, NEGLECTED and UNDER-UTILISED CROPS

AGRICULTURAL DIVERSIFICATION

HOME GARDENS

WILD FOOD PLANTS

COMMUNITY SEED SYSTEMS

LIVESTOCK andAGROPASTORAL SYSTEMS

MEDICINAL PLANTS

Selected traditional, neglected and under-utilised cropsof Sub-Saharan Africa

Common names Scientific name

African Cucurbitaceae crops (*) Cucurbita spp., Cucumis spp., et al.

African rice Oryza glaberrima

Amaranth Amaranthus spp.

Bambara nut Vigna subterranea

Cassava Manihot esculenta

Cowpea Vigna unguiculata

Finger millet Eleusine coracana

Fonio Digitaria exilis & Digitaria iburua

Groundnut Arachis hypogaea

Jute Corchorus spp.

Pearl millet Pennisetum glaucum

Roselle Hibiscus sabdariffa

Sorghum Sorghum bicolor

Sweet potato Ipomoea batatas

Tef Eragrostis tef

Velvet bean / Mucuna Mucuna spp.

Yams Dioscorea spp.

(*) e.g. cucumber, gourds, melon, pumpkin, squash.

Selected home garden crops among farmers of Soroti district, Uganda

Local names English name Scientific name Edible part Distinctive micronutrients

Akolel, okueker Cucumber Cucumis sp. Fruits Atungulu Onion Allium sp. Bulbs Vit. C Avokado Avocado Persea americana Fruits Vit. A Cabbage Cabbage Brassica sp. Leaves Vit. C Eboga, dodo Amaranth Amaranthus spp. Leaves Ca, Vit. A Eboo, boyo Cowpea Vigna unguiculata Leaves, grains Ca, Folic ac., Fe, Vit. A Ebrinyanya, berejanya Eggplant Solanum spp. Fruits Ecadoi, akeu Cat's whiskers Cleome gynandra Leaves Vit. A Eimulalu, amulalu Pepper Capsicum spp. Fruits Vit. A, Vit. C Emalakany, malakuany Roselle Hibiscus spp. Leaves Vit. A Emiebe, emiyembe Mango Mangifera indica Fruits Vit. A, Vit. C Enyanya Tomato Lycopersicon esculentum Fruits Vit. A, Vit. C Esuyo, suyu Pumpkin Cucurbita spp. Fruits, leaves Ca, Vit. A Etigo Corchorus, jute Corchorus spp. Leaves Vit. A Lavaro Banana Musa sp. Fruits Vit. A Mapera Guava Psidium guajava Fruits Vit. A, Vit. C Matonda Passion fruit Passiflora edulis Fruits Vit. C Muchonga Orange Citrus sp. Fruits Vit. A, Vit. C Nanasi Pineapple Ananas comosus Fruits Vit. C Pawpaw, apapalu Papaya Carica papaya Fruits Vit. A, Vit. C

Sources: Participatory research with Teso and Kumam farmers in Soroti district, Uganda, 2001.

Name Drought

resistance Maturation

time Market value

Continuous yield

Observations

Bundugusa + 2 months - + Very early maturing variety.

Bungoma ++ 5 months + + Very yellow tuber, likely to provide high amounts of vitamin A.

Kikuyu - 3 months + -

Maraoko ++ 4-5 months - +

Mukokola + 6 months + +

Siliki - 3-4 months - - Low yielding variety, but the most appreciated for its superior taste and culinary properties.

Soroti - 2-3 months + - Poor taste, but represents a fast food and income source.

Sweet potato varieties in 4 villages ofMawero area (Eastern Uganda), 2001

Farmer with bungoma variety of sweet potato (eastern Uganda)

Selected examples of agricultural diversification systems and practices

Crop diversity farming Crop-livestock association Intercropping systems Crop genetic diversity management Polycultures Elaborated fallow systems Shifting cultivation Selective weeding Crop rotation Contour planting Inclusion of leguminous crops Integrated agriculture-aquaculture Home gardens Cultivation of hillsides Introduction of new crops Crop mosaics Cover cropping Planting of trees Agroforestry systems Multipurpose crops and species Separation of crops with similar pest and disease susceptibility Agropastoral systems Management of wild ecosystems

Land-use categories and crop diversity in Kagera region, Tanzania

Kibanja Kikamba Rweya

Bambara nut XBanana XBeans XCassava X X XCocoyam X XCoffee XGroundnut XMaize X XSweet potato X XYams X X X

Source: Field research in diverse villages of Kagera region, Tanzania, December 2001.

Local name (1) Seasonal availability (2) Part consumed Preservation (3)

Chidingulilu

Dry

Flowers

+

Chimhela Rain Roots - Chipali Rain Leaves + Chiwandagulu Rain / Dry Leaves + Dinhi Rain Leaves - Fulu Rain Fruits - Fwene Rain Leaves + Ikuwi / Upela (4) Rain / Dry Leaves / Fruits - Ilende Rain / Dry Leaves + Kayeba (5) Rain / Dry Leaves + Lwamuya Rain Leaves - Mahulihuli Rain / Dry Leaves + Manhala Rain Leaves / Fruits - Matanga Rain Leaves / Fruits - Mbuli Rain Leaves - Mhelemehe Dry Fruits - Mhilile Rain Leaves + Mkuyu Rain / Dry Fruits - Mnamha Rain Leaves + Mnghonjela Rain Leaves + Msisi Dry Fruits - Mujinanhandala Rain Roots - Mzimwe Rain Leaves + Ndalangwe Rain Fruits - Ndejeha Dry Leaves / Fruits - Ngazi Rain Leaves + Ng'hole Rain / Dry Fruits - Ng'homwa Rain Roots - Nghwata Dry Fruits - Ngologolo Rain / Dry Roots - Ngwelu Rain / Dry Fruits - Nhafuta Rain Fruits - Nhingha Dry Roots - Nhumba Dry Fruits - Nhundwe Rain / Dry Fruits - Nyakifwega Rain Leaves + Saka Dry Fruits - Sang'hala Dry Leaves / Flowers - Sunga Rain Leaves - Susunha Rain / Dry Fruits - Udawi Rain / Dry Fruits - Uwoga Rain Mushroom - Yagayaga Rain Leaves - Yambu

Rain Leaves -

Selected wild food plants among the Gogo people in

Dodoma drylands (Tanzania)

Source: Field research, 2001 (in collaboration with the Tanzanian Association of Women Leaders in Agriculture and the Environment - TAWLAE)

Extent of wild food plants and home garden crops in Africa

arid semi-arid subhumid humid

Agroecological zones

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wild food plants home garden crops

J.A.Gari, 2001

Medicinal plants and HIV/AIDS

Medicinal plants from Uganda that have proven useful after clinical trialsin treating Herpes Zoster and diarrhea, two major diseases associated with HIV/AIDS

Local name (1) Scientific name (2) Plant group Main use

Akasogaasoga Ricinus communis Euphorbiaceae Herpes Zoster

Kibwankulata Iboza multiflora Labiatae Herpes Zoster

Lukandwa Securinega virosa Euphorbiaceae Herpes Zoster

Luwoko Phytolacca dodecandra Phytolaccaceae Herpes Zoster

Mutulika Phyllanthus guineensis Euphorbiaceae Herpes Zoster

Embutamu Hydrocotyle mannii Umbelliferae Diarrhea

Enkami Priva cordifolia, variety flabelliformis Verbenaceae Diarrhea

1. Luganda language.2. Provisional taxonomic identification. Scientific names revised according to the International

Plant Name Index.

Source: Internal data, THETA, Kampala, Uganda, 2001. Personal communications with ClaireNsubuga, co-curator of THETA's herbal garden, November 2001.

Papers

Garí, J.A. (2004). "Plant diversity, sustainable rural livelihoods and the

HIV/AIDS crisis". UNDP / FAO.

http://www.hiv-development.org/publications

Garí, J.A. (2003). "Agrobiodiversity strategies to combat foor insecurity and

HIV/AIDS impact in rural Africa: Advancing grassroots responses for nutrition,

health and sustainable livelihoods". FAO (SDWP); preliminary edition.

http://www.geocities.com/rural_Africa

Further information

http://www.fao.org/hivaids

http://www.fao.org/es/esn/nutrition/household_hivaids_en.stm

http://www.fao.org/sd/links/resources/resources.html

http://www.underutilized-species.org