The role of wild food plants in household food security: a case study of Lushoto District
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Date
2007
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Publisher
Sokoine University of Agriculture
Abstract
This study explores the various wild food plants and their role in household food
security in Kweminyasa. Mahange, Funta and Balangai villages of Lushoto district.
Data were collected through questionnaires checklist, focus group discussion and
informal discussion. The SPSS programme was used for analyzing quantitative data, .
where descriptive statistics and cross tabulation were done. Content analysis was
used to analyze qualitative information. Plant specimen identification was done by
the help of botanist, taxonomists and checklist. Useful species were identified in the
study villages, which included 6 species of mushroom, 17 species of vegetable and
13 species of edible fruits. The values of crude protein ranged from 1.18 to 5.6%,
while crude fibre was from 2.1 to 39.4%. Ash content ranged from 0.02 to 8.6
percent and moisture content ranged from 64.9 to 87.9%. The results of nutrient
composition further showed that the mean value of vitamin C ranged from 3.10 to
27.2 mg/100 in fruits and 1.60 to 10.60 mg/100 in wild vegetables. The mineral
contents were; calcium (45.0 to 863.5 mg/lOOg), magnesium (48.8 to 430.8
mg/lOOg), iron (1.7 to 44.4 mg/100), potassium (221.6 to 984.7 mg/lOOg), and
sodium (32.0 to 296.4 mg/lOOg). The study revealed that households in the surveyed
villages had a high reliance on wild food plants not only for livelihood (consumption
and sale). It was noted that women were the main actors in the collection, processing
and preservation of the wild food products. The nutritive value of most wild food
plants was good and sometimes better than domesticated expensive foods and could
thus substitute the expensive domesticated food items. More research is needed to
explore the nutrient comparison of wild and domesticated species and their nutrient
bioavailabilty by checking presence of antinutritional factors in them that interfere with absorption of nutrients. Detailed studies need to be conducted to document and
protect local knowledge on wild foods that could easily be lost.
Description
A dissertation submitted in partial fulfillment of the requirements for the degree of master of arts in
rural development
Keywords
Wild food plants, Household food security, Food security, Lushoto District