Indigenous Wild Food Plants In Home Gardens

Improving Health And Income With The Assistance Of Agricultural Extension

By Robert L. Freedman, Tucson, Arizona.
International Journal of Agricultural Extension
2015. 63-71

Abstract:

The wide spread presence of home gardens in developing nations is a strong foundation for food security, both in terms of quantity and quality. Indigenous wild food plants are a rich source of health-giving micronutrients, which are missing from highly refined fast/convenience foods the growing reliance on which has caused an ever-increasing occurrence of dietary-related diseases.

A simple solution to resolving micronutrient malnutrition is the transplanting of neglected and underutilized plant species (NUS) into home gardens. These plants can also be sold in local markets providing additional family income. Agricultural extension personnel can play an influential role in promoting the transplanting process by presenting workshops for women farmers and homemakers. Guidelines and resources for these workshops are given below.

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