Indigenous grains, fruits and vegetables could go a long way towards boosting food security in South Africa. What is needed is greater awareness among households and other stakeholders about the value of these plants. 

This is according to two researchers from the North-West University (NWU). Dr Abiodun Olusola Omotayo and Prof Adeyemi Oladapo Aremu are from the research niche area Food Security and Safety and the Indigenous Knowledge Systems Centre in the Faculty of Natural and Agricultural Sciences.

Until recently, the importance of indigenous and naturalised plants has been largely unexplored. “A valuable attribute of these plants is their ability to mitigate food insecurity. This could be achieved by promoting the plants’ integration in diets at individual and household level,” says Dr Omotayo.

He and Prof Aremu recently published three articles in high-impact journals on how the inclusion of indigenous and naturalised plants can contribute to food security in South Africa.
Their study analysed plant utilisation patterns in households factors that affect willingness to pay for indigenous grains, fruits and vegetables, and to what extent the 31 pre-selected indigenous and naturalised plants were included. 
The research was done among 133 households across 12 selected communities from the four district municipalities in the North West Province. 
The two researchers reported that although indigenous grains, fruits and vegetables have the potential to contribute to the rural household’s food system, they are usually neglected in the national foods policy. They also identified factors that would encourage households to include these foods in their diet to boost food security. 
“Without a better understanding of these factors, it will be difficult to estimate the total food insecurity and identify the causes of households’ vulnerability to food insecurity in South Africa,” says Dr Omotayo.

The study concluded that rural households needed to be made aware of the numerous benefits associated with indigenous plants.
“Wider acceptance and utilisation of indigenous and naturalised plants could help reduce over-reliance on the exotic food plant varieties which are relatively expensive.”
The researchers recommend that the country’s national agricultural and food policies be adapted to allow for marginalised rural communities to be encouraged, trained and incentivised on the value associated with the cultivation of indigenous plants. 
“This may facilitate the inclusion of these plants in diets and can be achieved through the establishment of small-scale retail outlets for indigenous plants in rural communities in South Africa,” adds Dr Omotayo.

Prof Adeyemi Oladapo Aremu

Dr Abiodun Olusola Omotayo