Despite the increased recognition of African Leafy Vegetables (ALVs) as important source of vitamin A, there is still paucity of research highlighting on the vitamin A intake attributed to them. The level and the extent of contribution of ALVs could inform programming, monitoring and evaluation of vitamin A-related nutrition and development programs. The study aimed at investigating the level of contribution of ALVs to household vitamin A intake and the influence of household monthly income in a rural setting, through use of selected data from a cross-sectional vitamin A consumption survey in Butere-Mumias District, western Kenya. A multistage cluster sampling procedure was used to select 814 households considered for the survey. It was found that plant sources contributed about 43.1% of total household vitamin A intake. ALVs contributed 65.7% of vitamin A from plant sources and 32.7 % of household vitamin A intake. Predominant ALV was the cowpea leaves which accounted for about 45% of vitamin A contributed by ALVs, 34% of the contribution of plant sources and 14.7% of household vitamin A intake. Although the influence of monthly income on the level of vitamin A from ALVs was not conclusive, there were some indications that lower intake from ALVs was positively correlated with lower incomes and vice versa. Income was weakly and negatively associated with household vitamin A intake (r=-1.92, 3.7% of variance explained), and the opposite was true for the proportion of income spent on food verses household vitamin A intake (r=1.64, 2.7% of variance explained). It was apparent that ALVs formed an important dietary source of vitamin A in rural households in western Kenya with cowpea leaves as a predominant contributor. In areas of similar environmental conditions, ALVs production, marketing and consumption should be promoted. There was no evidence that increase in income among the rural folk may likely improve ALVs consumption and vitamin A intake. It is thus recommended that development programs and policies consider ALVs as significant source of vitamin A, and that increments in incomes per se may not significantly influence household vitamin A intake and from ALVs.

High prevalence and the negative consequences of the deficiencies resulting from inadequate intake of iron, iodine and vitamin A have resulted in focused global efforts to alleviate them. Vitamin A deficiency which has serious consequences can be prevented by consumption of vitamin A rich foods. This study was undertaken to determine the viability of locally available foods in providing vitamin A to the impoverished populations in rural areas of Kenya. A cross-sectional survey was carried out in Butere-Mumias District of Western Province, Kenya from December 2003 to February 2004. The study compared the potential contribution of local foods to the provision of vitamin A, to the diets of children aged 12-71 months in the two divisions of Butere and Khwisero, as based on the Helen Keller International (HKI) method. Vitamin A rich foods consumed in the two study areas are dark green leafy vegetables, kales, papaya margarine, orange/yellow fleshed sweet potatoes, eggs and ripe mangoes. Butere and Khwisero divisions where the study was conducted are adjacent to each other. Butere division had an ongoing nutrition intervention project to promote African leafy vegetables, while Khwisero division did not. Of the 16 clusters surveyed, consumption of vitamin A was insufficient in the six of the eight communities in Butere, and three of the eight communities, in Khwisero. The frequency of consumption of vitamin A-rich foods in the study area fell below the threshold values of the HKI Method. Consumption of these foods was not regular as planting was done on an ad hoc basis especially in Khwisero division in areas which were not reached by the on-going campaign in the Butere division. Vitamin A deficiency was most likely a public health problem in the two divisions. This study recommends increased activities in the area to control vitamin A deficiency, prophylactic vitamin A supplementation and efforts to increase vitamin A consumption.