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Diversity and utilization of indigenous wild edible plants and their contribution to food security in Turkana County, Kenya

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Title Diversity and utilization of indigenous wild edible plants and their contribution to food security in Turkana County, Kenya
 
Creator Oduor, Francis Odhiambo
Kaindi, Dasel Wambua Mulwa
Abong, George Ooko
Thuita, Faith
Termote, Céline
 
Subject wild plants
food security
dietary diversity
pastoralism
food systems
sociocultural environment
household consumption
horticulture
ecology
food science
 
Description Introduction Indigenous Wild edible plants (IWEPs) are consumed daily in some form by at least one in seven people worldwide. Many of them are rich in essential nutrients with the potential for dietary and nutrition improvement particularly for poor households. They are, however, often overlooked. This study investigated diversity, consumption frequency, and perceptions of IWEPs and the contribution they make to the food security of communities in Turkana County, northern Kenya. Our findings are aimed at stimulating targeted discussions among stakeholders involved in food security programs on best way to overcome the poverty stigma associated with IWEPs consumption and to promote their utilization for food security, nutritional and dietary improvement, and enhanced community resilience. Methods Applying a mixed-methods approach, we collected data using 12 gender-disaggregated focus group discussions and a questionnaire applied to a random sample of 360 households. Results and Discussion Participants identified 73 IWEPs, of which 24 were consumed in the preceding six months by 48.5% of households. Almost all surveyed households (96%) were classified as severely food insecure, and food insecurity did not differ significantly between households that consumed IWEPs and those that did not. Our results indicate that more IWEPs consumers than non-consumers reported eating foods they had not wanted to consume to cope with food scarcity, as well as having to eat fewer meals than normal. Just over half of the respondents (57.1%) held positive attitudes towards IWEPs, which was positively associated with a higher likelihood of IWEPs consumption. Long distances to harvest sites, lack of knowledge about the plants, their seasonality, and how to cook them appetizingly, coupled with overall unfavorable perceptions, are probable reasons for non-consumption of IWEPs among the survey respondents. In line with other studies cited on wild foods, we conclude that IWEPs have the potential to bridge food and nutritional deficits in food insecure households in the study area, although currently their consumption remains limited. Given this potential, further analysis of IWEPs’ nutritional composition and restoration of wild edible foods to local areas should be given priority, as well as interventions that help to overcome the challenges to their consumption and promote their wider use.
 
Date 2023-07
2023-07-11T15:10:26Z
2023-07-11T15:10:26Z
 
Type Journal Article
 
Identifier Oduor, F.O.; Kaindi, D.W.M.; Abong, G.O.; Thuita, F.; Termote, C. (2023) Diversity and utilization of indigenous wild edible plants and their contribution to food security in Turkana County, Kenya. Frontiers in Sustainable Food Systems 7: 1113771. ISSN: 2571-581X
2571-581X
https://hdl.handle.net/10568/131093
https://doi.org/10.3389/fsufs.2023.1113771
 
Language en
 
Rights CC-BY-4.0
Open Access
 
Format 1113771
application/pdf
 
Publisher Frontiers Media SA
 
Source Frontiers in Sustainable Food Systems