Improving Nutrition with African Indigenous Vegetables

African Indigenous Vegetables (AIVs) have unrealized potential to improve the health status of at-risk populations. Working with influential organizations in Zambia, Kenya, and Tanzania we are identifying and addressing the most critical limiting factors on consumption of AIVs. Through the following activities, our overall goal is to increase access, affordability, availability, and adoption of AIVs

Dietary Survey of Aiv Consumers in Zambia and Kenya

• Identifying bottlenecks on consumer-side consumption of AIVs and nutritious foods
• Baseline data informing development of nutrition education intervention activities
• Quantifying consumption of AIVs before and after interventions activities to understand how consumption can be most efficiently improved

Economic Survey on Producers and Intermediaries in Zambia and Kenya

• Identifying limitations on production and distribution of AIVs to communities
• Informing production intervention activities to efficiently improve capacity of AIV suppliers

Verifying Performance of Improved Technology and Practices

• Conducting variety trials to verify performance of advanced AIV lines to reliably inform
  production interventions
• Comparing agronomic practices to understand the relative effectiveness of implementing pest management techniques, ultimately to instruct producers in production interventions

Production and Nutritional Education Interventions

• Disseminating improved production practices and educating on health and nutrition practices
• Intervention methods informed by survey results and technology validation studies

 

Current AIVs Included

• African Nightshade (Solanum spp.)
• African Spider Plant (Cleome gynandra)
• Amaranth (Amaranthus spp.)
• Moringa (Moringa oleifera)
• Roselle/Hibiscus (Hibiscus sabdariffa)
• Ethiopian Mustard (Brassica carinata)
• African Eggplant/ Garden egg (Solanum aethiopicum)
• Cowpea Greens (Vigna unguiculata)

 

 

Partners