Participatory Variety Selection of Three African Leafy Vegetables in Western Kenya

Ndinya, Christine; Onyango, Eunice; Dinssa, Fekadu F.; Odendo, Martins; Simon, James E.; Weller, Stephen C.; Thuranira, E.G.; Nyabinda, Naman; Maiyo, Norah

doi:10.7275/mkq0-3p85

Cited by 3 publications

(2 citation statements)

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“…Farmers’ preferred traits in G . gynandra include high leaf yield and related traits (plant height and the number of leaves), broad leaves and late flowering [ 32 , 59 – 61 ]. We observed that East and Southern African lines combined several farmers’ preferred traits such as broad leaves, late flowering and high biomass, while West African genotypes had high biomass and dry matter content.…”

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

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Phenotypic variation in biomass and related traits among four generations advanced lines of Cleome (Gynandropsis gynandra L. (Briq.))

et al. 2022

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Gynandropsis gynandra (spider plant) is an African traditional leafy vegetable rich in minerals, vitamins and health-promoting compounds with potential for health promotion, micronutrients supplementation and income generation for stakeholders, including pharmaceutical companies. However, information on biomass productivity is limited and consequently constrains breeders’ ability to select high-yielding genotypes and end-users to make decisions on suitable cultivation and production systems. This study aimed to assess the phenotypic variability in biomass and related traits in a collection of G. gynandra advanced lines to select elite genotypes for improved cultivar development. Seventy-one advanced lines selected from accessions originating from Asia, West Africa, East Africa and Southern Africa were evaluated over two years with two replicates in a greenhouse using a 9 x 8 alpha lattice design. Significant statistical differences were observed among lines and genotype origins for all fourteen biomass and related traits. The results revealed three clusters, with each cluster dominated by lines derived from accessions from Asia (Cluster 1), West Africa (Cluster 2), and East/Southern Africa (Cluster 3). The West African and East/Southern African groups were comparable in biomass productivity and superior to the Asian group. Specifically, the West African group had a low number of long primary branches, high dry matter content and flowered early. The East/Southern African group was characterized by broad leaves, late flowering, a high number of short primary branches and medium dry matter content and was a candidate for cultivar release. The maintenance of lines’ membership to their group of origin strengthens the hypothesis of geographical signature in cleome diversity and genetic driver of the observed variation. High genetic variance, broad-sense heritability and genetic gains showed the potential to improve biomass yield and related traits. Significant and positive correlations among biomass per plant, plant height, stem diameter and leaf size showed the potential of simultaneous and direct selection for farmers’ desired traits. The present results provide insights into the diversity of spider plant genotypes for biomass productivity and represent key resources for further improvement in the species.

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Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

“…Whereas farmers prefer traits in G . gynandra that include high leaf yield and related traits (plant height and the number of leaves), broad leaves, late flowering, good germination and resistance to pests and diseases [ 32 , 59 – 61 ]. Among these traits, yield is the most important trait for farmers and breeding programs.…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Phenotypic variation in biomass and related traits among four generations advanced lines of Cleome (Gynandropsis gynandra L. (Briq.))

et al. 2022

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Opportunities for African indigenous vegetables (AIVs): regulations in the vegetable seed sector in sub Saharan Africa

Mativavarira,

Simango,

Dube

et al. 2024

CABI Agric Biosci

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African indigenous vegetables (AIVSs) play crucial roles in promoting a healthy diet and providing commercial opportunities for smallholder farmers. Despite their nutrient-rich nature, their consumption is limited, highlighting the need to develop and promote them, as they are well adapted to climate change. To address this issue, a comprehensive study combining desk research and a survey was conducted in Malawi, Zambia, and Zimbabwe (Southern Africa), as well as Kenya and Tanzania (East Africa). This study aimed to assess progress and regulations on AIV germplasm management, crop improvement, seed production and seed trade and to propose seed regulations that could unlock opportunities for AIVs. The World Vegetable Centre has played a crucial role in vegetable seed sector development working with public and private partners. Kenya and Tanzania officially released several AIVs, namely, spider plant (Cleome gynandra), amaranth (Amaranthus spp.), okra (Abelmoschus esculentus), pumpkin (Cucurbita spp.) and African nightshade (Solanum spp.). These efforts represent important steps toward promoting and enhancing the cultivation and utilization of AIVs. The trade of AIV seeds has primarily been observed between Kenya and Tanzania, while such trade is not well documented in other Southern African countries. Regulations regarding the release of vegetable varieties vary across regions. In Kenya and Tanzania, formal release of vegetables is required, whereas is not mandatory in Malawi, Zambia and Zimbabwe. The need for testing for distinctness, uniformity and stability (DUS) and value for cultivation and use (VCU) need to be assessed to provide flexibility, whereas seed certification should allow for the certification and quality declared seeds (QDS), offering options that promote the growth of the AIV seed sector. The AIV sector has several strengths, including the presence of key stakeholders, abundant genetic resources and an untapped market. Opportunities include the recognition of different seed classes, free trade areas, and the integration of seed systems, allowing farmer and small seed companies to enter the seed business. Owing to climate uncertainty and nutrient deficiencies, there is an urgent need to develop seed regulations for AIVs to ensure that the vegetable sector can fully develop and contribute to food system resilience.

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An evaluation of nutrition, culinary, and production interventions using African indigenous vegetables on nutrition security among smallholder farmers in Western Kenya

et al. 2023

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IntroductionNutrition security continues to worsen in sub-Saharan Africa. Current research is limited on how seasonality may influence the impact of nutrition, culinary, and production interventions on food security, diet quality, and consumption of African Indigenous Vegetables (AIV); a culturally accepted source of micro-and-macronutrients that are easily produced due to their adaptation to the local environment. The objective of this study was to evaluate the programmatic impact of AIV interventions on nutrition security among smallholder farmers.MethodsIn a randomized control trial, five target counties in Western Kenya were randomly assigned to one of four treatments: (1) control; (2) production intervention (PI); (3) nutrition and culinary intervention (NCI); and (4) NCI and PI (NCI/PI). After the counties were randomly assigned to a treatment, 503 smallholder farmers (18–65 years) were selected from participatory farmer groups. The PI consisted of five agricultural production modules delivered between 2016 and 2019. The NCI was delivered twice: (1) household nutrition education (2017) and (2) community culinary training (2019). The NCI/PI included communities receiving both interventions at these time periods. Baseline and endline surveys were administered to all participants once in October 2016 (harvest season) and to all available participants (n = 250) once in June to July 2019 (dry season), respectively. The impact evaluation was analyzed by Household Hunger Scale (HHS), Women’s Dietary Diversity Score (WDDS), AIV consumption frequency, and AIV market availability. Statistical tests included descriptive statistics (means and frequencies), paired t-test, McNemar’s test, Wilcoxon Signed-Rank test, ANOVA test with Tukey post hoc, and χ2 test. Open-ended questions were aggregated, and responses were selected based on relevancy and thoroughness of the response to provide context to the quantitative data. A value of p < 0.05 was used to denote statistical significance.ResultsThere was an overall decrease in WDDS, HHS, and consumption frequency between baseline and endline attributed to seasonal differences. Despite this, post-intervention, households that received NCI/PI had a higher WDDS relative to the control: WDDS 5.1 ± 1.8 vs. 4.2 ± 1.5, p = 0.035. In addition, between baseline and endline, there was an overall increase in the percentage of respondents that reported an adequate supply of key AIVs, particularly for households that received PI. Furthermore, seasonal effects caused a reported shift in the primary location for purchasing AIVs from the village to the town market. There was no reported difference in HHS. While “diet awareness” significantly influenced diet quality among the NCI treatment group, “production” was reported to have the greatest influence on diet quality among all intervention groups.DiscussionThe findings revealed that coupled nutrition, culinary, and production interventions could create a protective effect against seasonal fluctuations in the availability and affordability of AIV as evidenced by a higher WDDs.Conclusion and RecommendationsThese findings suggest that future programming and policy should focus on promoting the availability, accessibility, acceptability, and affordability of improved agronomic practices and germplasm for both smallholder farmers with particular emphasis on AIV varieties that contain high levels of micro-and macronutrients, improved agronomic characteristics (e.g., delayed flowering, multiple harvests, higher yields, and disease resistance), and are aligned with the communities’ cultural preferences. In addition, agricultural training and extension services should incorporate nutrition and culinary interventions that emphasize the importance of farmers prioritizing harvests for their household consumption.

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Participatory Variety Selection of Three African Leafy Vegetables in Western Kenya

Cited by 3 publications

References 5 publications

Phenotypic variation in biomass and related traits among four generations advanced lines of Cleome (Gynandropsis gynandra L. (Briq.))

Phenotypic variation in biomass and related traits among four generations advanced lines of Cleome (Gynandropsis gynandra L. (Briq.))

Opportunities for African indigenous vegetables (AIVs): regulations in the vegetable seed sector in sub Saharan Africa

An evaluation of nutrition, culinary, and production interventions using African indigenous vegetables on nutrition security among smallholder farmers in Western Kenya

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