Multipurpose traditional vegetables for food security

Mokgaetji Georginah Mokganya
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Mokgaetji Georginah Mokganya: University of Venda

International Journal of Research in Business and Social Science (2147-4478), 2025, vol. 14, issue 2, 291-308

Abstract: The struggle to fight food insecurities in rural communities across the globe is ongoing. At least a little progress has been made regarding developing knowledge and traditional practices for using traditional vegetables. This local knowledge development encompasses not only food provisioning to local communities but also caters to promoting quality health care. Enough evidence thus far attests that rural communities face food insecurity and are chronically malnourished. Other research results concur that humans have long utilised plants to address food insecurity. The verbal and signed consent obtained from the participants before the survey began followed a thorough explanation of the study's purpose. The researcher accentuated the participants' voluntary participation and guaranteed the protection of their privacy. Surveys were conducted through face-to-face interviews and field trips to gather field notes. Plant samples were collected from the home gardens and the wild to prepare voucher specimens deposited in the Department of Botany herbarium. Twenty-four plant species of 20 genera belonging to 13 different botanical families were inventoried. An outstanding 100% of the documented traditional vegetables formed integral contributors to food preparations for combating food insecurity. Leaves of all the 24 inventoried vegetables are edible. They are blended or garnished with their own or of other species’ fruits and seeds for preparations of relish consumed with stiff maize-meal porridge. Generally, other uses of these plants include ornamental, craft, and healing properties for various ailments. It is concluded that the consumption of these plants valuably contributes toward no hunger and a healthier nation. Key Words:Food insecurity; traditional edible vegetables; multipurpose; zero hunger; healthy communities.

Date: 2025
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