Wild vegetables tamed to decrease hunger

Abstract

Emerging agriculture Historically, South African communities have supplemented their diets with an array of indigenous vegetables, mostly collected (by women) where they grew wildly in the veldt. Indigenous crop species such as Amaranthus, black jack, gallant solider, and spiderplant (Cleome gynandra), collectively known as morogo or imifino, are believed to be excellent sources of micronutrients (including vitamin A, folate, vitamin C, iron, and protein). Other indigenous crops include legumes such as cowpea and bambara groundnut. In addition, these traditional African crops can be grown more easily in rural subsistence farming as compared to adopted crops, such as spinach and cabbage, since natural selection has adapted them well to local growing conditions. It is believed that these crops usually require lower inputs of water, chemical fertilizers and pesticides.

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