Introduction to the special edition of Water SA on indigenous crops, water and human nutrition

Abstract

Amongst them are several species that are described as ‘‘green leafy vegetables’’, because their leaves and stems are the main parts of the plants that are consumed. Present variet ies have evolved over many centuries of survival under local environmental conditions and thus became adapted to these conditions. In many cases dedicated local farmers have aided the process by keeping only seeds from the best plants for planting during the following season. Probably the best-known and most widely consumed indigenous leafy vegetables consumed in South Africa are Amaranthus species (‘‘wild spinach’’), m elons and cowpeas. Indigenised species, within the context of Africa, are species that originated in other continents, especially Asia and South and Central America (Schippers, 2006), but have become part and parcel of traditional African food culture and agriculture. Over long periods, often over many centuries, local (‘‘indigenous’’) varieties of indigenised crops have evolved by means of similar processes as described for indigenous crops.

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