African Journal of Food, Agriculture, Nutrition and Development 

About: African Journal of Food, Agriculture, Nutrition and Development is an academic journal published by African Scholarly Science Communications Trust. The journal publishes majorly in the area(s): Population & Agriculture. It has an ISSN identifier of 1684-5358. It is also open access. Over the lifetime, 1462 publications have been published receiving 15303 citations. The journal is also known as: AJFAND.

African leafy vegetables: their role in the world health organization's global fruit and vegetables initiative

Abstract: The increased awareness of the health protecting properties of non-nutrient bio-active compounds found in fruits and vegetables, has directed immense attention to vegetables as vital components of daily diets. For sub-Saharan African (SSA) populations, this attention on vegetables as vital dietary components is significant, as leafy vegetables have long been known to be indispensable ingredients in traditional sauces that accompany carbohydrate staples. African indigenous and traditional leafy vegetables thus have a pivotal role in the success of the World Health Organization’s (WHO) global initiative on fruits and vegetables consumption in the sub-continent. The joint WHO/FAO 2004 report on a Global Strategy on Diet, Physical Activity and Health, recommended a minimum daily intake of 400g of fruits and vegetables. Also, at their 2004 joint Kobe workshop, the WHO and FAO developed a framework that proposes ways to promote increased production, availability and access, and adequate consumption of fruits and vegetables. This framework is expected to guide the development of cost-efficient and effective interventions for the promotion of adequate consumption of fruits and vegetables at the national and sub-national level. This paper explores ways to integrate African indigenous leafy vegetables into the global fruit and vegetable programme initiative, and identifies some existing barriers to their effective mobilization. African Leafy Vegetables are increasingly recognized as possible contributors of both micronutrients and bio-active compounds to the diets of populations in Africa. Available data on the more commonly consumed varieties point to antioxidants containing leafy vegetables that can also provide significant amounts of beta carotene, iron, calcium and zinc to daily diets. How can the successful Nairobi leafy vegetable experience, be mainstreamed across the subcontinent to ensure their mobilization and integration in WHO's fruit and vegetable initiative? The Kobe framework recommends that fruit and vegetable promotion interventions should consider the process from production to consumption. Very little is known about the production and consumption of African Leafy Vegetables. An expert report on patterns of vegetable consumption in the subcontinent lists common vegetables as onions, carrots, tomatoes and cabbage. Clearly, information on production, processing, distribution and marketing, preparation and consumption of vegetable species relevant to SSA, are vital and constitute the prop on which intervention programmes can be developed. Through its long collaboration with national governments, Bioversity International is well placed to catalyze the process of data generation and dissemination by countries in the sub-continent.

Hygienic and sanitary practices of vendors of street foods in Nairobi, Kenya

Abstract: The street food industry has an important role in the cities and towns of many developing countries in meeting the food demands of the urban dwellers. It feeds millions of people daily with a wide variety of foods that are relatively cheap and easily accessible. Street food sector symbolizes the street life in Africa and it operates in an unstable and precarious state because the sector lacks legal recognition. There have been noticeable increases of food vendors in Nairobi, who sell both raw and cooked food items. There are not regulated, they operate haphazardly without any monitoring of what they prepare and how they do it. A study to determine hygienic and sanitary practices of vendors of street foods in Nairobi was carried out using a descriptive survey design. A sample size of 80 street food vendors selling commonly consumed foods was selected. Data was collected using in-depth interview schedules and observation checklists. Information from the study shows that vendors lacked training on food preparation. About 62% obtained food preparation skills through observation while 33% were taught by their parents in non-formal settings. The preparation surfaces used for the preparation of raw foods were not washed regularly. Cooked foods were stored at ambient temperature in cupboards, plastic bowls, jugs and buckets were just left in the open uncovered. Eighty-five per cent of the vendors had garbage and waste bins beside the food stalls. Personal hygiene was not also observed, as the vendors never covered their heads, handled money and food at the same time and they did not wear overcoats/aprons and handled food with bare hand. Street food vendors were not aware of hygienic and sanitary practice. The food is sold to unsuspecting clients who are likely to get food-borne diseases. This study recommends the establishment of street food centres by the city council, the training of street food vendors on hygiene, sanitation and the establishment of code of practice for the street food industry and the empowerment of Public Health Officers. Key words . Street foods, hygiene and sanitation.

Effects of processing treatments on the nutritive composition and consumer acceptance of some Nigerian edible leafy vegetables.

Abstract: Leafy vegetables are highly perishable food items and require special processing treatments to prevent post harvest losses. Leafy vegetables to be preserved by canning, freezing or dehydration are normally blanched in order to obtain good quality products. In Nigeria, leafy vegetables are preserved by sun-drying and used like freshly harvested vegetables in soups. The effects of these treatments on the nutritive composition and sensory qualities of some edible Nigeria leafy vegetables are reported. Samples (1kg each) of amaranths (Amaranthus hybridus), fluted pumpkin ( Talfaria accidentalis ), gnectum vegetable ( Gnectum africana ), vine spinach ( Basella alba ), bush okro ( Corchorus olitorus ), slippery vine ( Asystacia gangetica ) and cocoyam leaves ( Colocasia esculenta ) were washed, cut into thin slices and sundried for 5 hrs daily for 2 days. Samples (1kg) of tomatoes ( Lycopersicon esculentum ) were similarly dried for 4 days. The fresh vegetables (1kg each) were blanched in hot water at 100 0 C for 5-6 min and rapidly cooled to 2 0 C in a freezer. Samples (250g each) of fresh (raw), sun-dried or blanched vegetables were cooked separately for 5min in soups. Sun-drying at 30 ± 1 0 C and RH 80 – 85% for 10hr resulted in a mean moisture loss of 35.6% with insignificant (P>0.05) increases of protein, lipid, crude fiber and total ash. Gnectum vegetable, vine spinach, bush okoro, cocoyam leaves and slippery vine had protein contents ranging from 3.0-5.0. K, Fe, Na, Mg and Ca were the predominant mineral elements analysed while contents of Zn and P were low. Blanching and cooking caused significant (P ≤ 0.05) reductions in the K, Na, Ca, Mg, Zn, Fe, and P contents of the vegetables. The implications of these results on the nutritive value of these vegetables are discussed. Among the treatments, cooking accounted for 64.3 – 67.5% loss of vitamin C while blanching and sundrying accounted for 44.8-47.1% and 36.8 – 39.6% respectively. Panelists rated the soups significantly (P≤ 0.05) higher for colour, taste, texture, flavour/aroma and overall acceptability characteristics. Fresh fluted pumpkin soup was rated significantly (P≤ 0.05) higher for colour, taste, texture and flavour/aroma characteristics, while fresh gnectum vegetable soup was highly rated for taste, flavour/aroma and overall acceptability characteristics. Compared with other dried vegetable soups, dried gnectum vegetable soup had the highest score for colour and taste while dried fluted pumpkin soup had the highest score for flavour/aroma and overall acceptability characteristics. Generally, panelists preferred the fresh to dried vegetable soups. Key words : Blanching, Sun-drying, Cooked, Vitamin C, Sensory attributes. Des legumes verts a feuilles sont des denrees tres perissable donc, ils demandent des traitements speciaux pour eviter des pertes apres moissure. Des legumes verts a feuille a conservation: en boite, congelation ou deshydration sont normalement blanchis pour avoir des produits de bonne qualities. Au Nigeria des legumes verts a feuilles sont conserves par le sechage solaire et utilises pour la preparation des potages comme des legumes frais. L’effet des traitements sur les qualites de la composition nutritionelle et sensorielle de certains legumes verts a feuilles comestibles sont prresentes: Les echantillons (1 kilo chacun) de amaranths ( Amaranthus hybridus ), La citrouille ( annelee) (Telfaria occidentalis) , Legume gnectum (Gnectum africana ), epinard ( Basella alba) , feuille de vigne ( Asystacia gangetica ) et des feuilles de taro ( Colocasia esculenta ) sont laves, coupes en petits tranches et seches sous le soleil 5h par jour pour deux jours. Echantillon (1 kilo) de tomates ( Lycopersicon esculentum) sont egalements seches pendant quatre jours. Ces legumes (1 kilo chacun etaient blanchis dans l’eau chaude a 100°C pour 5 a 6 minutes et rapidement surgeles a 2°C dans un congelateur. Les echantillons (250g chacun) de legumes frais (crus) seches dans le soleil ou blanchis etaient prepares separement pour 5 minutes dans les potages. Sechant en soleil a 30 + 1°C et RH80 – 85% pour 10hs on a note une perte moyenne en moisissure de 35. 6% avec une augmentation insignifiante (P>0.05) en proteine lipide, fibre cru et cendre total. G. africana, B. alba, Corchorus olitolus, Asystacia gangetica, C. esculanta out des proteines qui varies entre 3.0 a 5.0. K, Fe, Na, Mg et Ca etaient les elements miniraux predominants analises; alors que la composition en Zn et P etailent basses. Le blanchiment et le sechage out cause une reduction significative (P≤0.05) en K, Na, Ca, Mg, Zn, Fe et P dans la composition des legumes traites. Les implications de Ces resultats sur la valeur nutritionelle des legumes sont objets de discussions. Parmi les traitements, la preparation contribue en une perte de 64.3 a 67.5% en vitamines C alors que le blanchiment et le sechage en soleil contribuent une perte de 44.8 a 47.1% et 36.8 a 39.6% respectivement. Les juris out fortement estime les potages pour la couleur, gout, contexture saveur/arome et l’acceptabilite dans l’ensemble. Le potage prepare avec la citrouille cannelee (Telfaria occidentalis ) frais a ete plus considere (P≤0.05) en couleur, gout, saveur/arome et. L’acceptabilite dans l’ensemble que les autres potages prepares avec des legumes seches, le potage prepare avec du Gnectum africana seche a ete estime le meilleur pour la couleur et le gout alors que le potage prepare avec ( Telfaria occidentalis ) seche a ete estime le meilleur en saveur/aroome et l’acceptabilite dans l’ensemble. En general les juris out preferes les potages aux legumes frais aux potages aux legumes seches. Les mots cles : Blanchiment, sechage au soleil, Prepare ou cuisinie Vitamin C, sensoriel, Attribut.

Household level determinants of food insecurity in rural areas of dire dawa, eastern ethiopia

Abstract: Even though the struggle to achieve food security at the household level in the rural areas of Ethiopia dates back a long period, it has remained as a challenging goal even today. Making their living on marginal, moisture stressed, heavily degraded and less productive land, households in rural areas of Dire Dawa face persistent food shortages. The design and implementation of effective measures to reduce household food insecurity in the region depends on in-depth understanding of its covariates. This study seeks to address these issues by assessing location specific socio-economic factors that influence food insecurity of households in rural areas of Dire Dawa Administrative region. The analysis is based on survey data gathered from randomly selected 115 sample rural households in the study area. A binary logit model was used to identify the factors influencing household level food insecurity. A total of thirteen explanatory variables were included in the empirical model. The empirical results estimated using the survey data to identify the determinants of food insecurity among rural households in the study area revealed mixed impressions. Among variables considered, family size, annual income, amount of credit received, access to irrigation, age of household head, farm size, and livestock owned showed theoretically consistent and statistically significant effect. However, estimated coefficients of number of oxen owned and dependency ratio showed theoretically inconsistent and statistically insignificant effect on the probability of household to be food insecure.. Estimated coefficients of sex of household head, total off-farm income, education of household head and amount of food aid received were not found to be statistically significant in determining household food insecurity in the study area. The findings imply that improvement in food security situation needs to build assets, improve the functioning of rural financial markets and promote family planning. These areas could provide entry points for policy intervention to reduce hunger and augment household and community livelihood opportunities. Key words: Food Insecurity, Binary Logit, Ethiopia

Potential role for wild vegetables in household food security: a preliminary case study in Kwazulu-Natal, South Africa

Abstract: The value of wild edible vegetables in food security has not been given sufficient attention in South Africa. Consequently, there are no formal interventions that seek to encourage people to use traditional vegetables as sources of essential nutrients. Studies on the role of wild leafy vegetables in food security could provide important information for development of policies on careful exploitation of natural resources for human sustenance. The objective of this study was to provide a rapid assessment of general knowledge about wild leafy vegetables among subsistence farmers from Ezigeni, a rural location in South Africa, and to determine the availability of wild leafy vegetables from cropping fields during spring - before the cropping season started. A focus group discussion and transect walk were used to collect qualitative data on knowledge of traditional vegetables. Availability of wild leafy vegetables was quantified using one-square-meter plots, randomly located in a cropping field and in an area that has never been cultivated (veld). Results showed that knowledge of wild leafy vegetables among the participants was positively correlated with age. Education status improved knowledge of wild vegetables for middle-aged participants, but not for the youth (35 years or younger). Availability of wild edible leafy vegetables (plant numbers and yield) increased from August to October, but there was a significant difference between species. Data from a focus group discussion showed that wild leafy vegetable availability occurred early in spring, when traditional crops were less abundant. It is concluded that knowledge of wild leafy vegetables may be lost in the near future, unless efforts are made to educate younger generations about their importance. They could be used as an important source of nutrients during the pre-cropping season, before traditional crops are available for human consumption. It is recommended that agronomic investigations into cultivation of wild leafy vegetables that are adapted to rural areas where exotic leafy vegetables are not widely available be undertaken. Those studies could contribute significantly in government policies to improve food security in rural areas, and in the improvement of wild vegetable status, whose potential as sources of nutrition is currently undervalued. Keywords : availability, knowledge, wild leafy vegetables African Journal of Food, Agriculture, Nutrition and Development Vol. 6(1) 2006