Food by its
nature begins to go bad the moment it is harvested (Nummer, 2002). In the past,
traditional methods of food preservation were a sure way of improving this
situation especially in the rural area where a lot of food goes to waste
especially after harvest. Access to
stable and sustainable food supplies was a precondition for the establishment
of food security at the household level and the society. Preservation practices
ensured regular flow of food into the household throughout the seasons for its
members. The promotion of these readily available technologies for home
preservation such as drying of vegetables and fruits at home reduced wastage
and ensured better utilization of fresh produce available in abundance during
the harvest season (FAO/USDHEW, 1986).
The granaries
that were used as food store in the past were made of sticks that served as
insect repellant to minimize infestation of stored grains (Farnandez, 1994:10
quoted in Akong’a 1998). Grain containers, sealed gourds and hand-woven baskets
were also used to preserve and store grains. The design was to keep away
moisture. According to (Parrish, 1994) the sealed containers acted as an
elementary form of fumigation chambers. Among the Luo and Luyia, ash served as
preservative for grains especially peas and beans after a thorough drying.
Among the Luyia, grains in bulk were stored in pots or special granaries sealed
using cow dung to serve as cement. Cow dung made the granaries airtight and too
hot for pests to survive. Some communities used storage above the kitchen
hearth to keep grains dry and free from pests because of the heat and smoke.
Sorghum in particular could be kept in such a store for more than 10 years
(Akong’a, 1998).
Among the Luo of
Western Kenya, indigenous vegetable were dried under the shade of a tree or a
period of three to four days the put in a pot that was covered with a lid then
sealed with cow dung. The vegetable would stay in the pot for more than a year
without going bad. The vegetable served as food reserve to be used during lean
period.
In the recent
times, humans have focused on fewer plant species, mostly exotic plants, thus
resulting to narrow food focus. This narrow focus has led to a decline in
original knowledge needed to identify and prepare wild plant species; locally
affecting the population’s nutritional status, especially in the developing
world (Griveti and Ogle 2000; Ogoye-Ndegwa and Aagaard-Hansen 2003). Despite
the nutritional and medicinal value of indigenous vegetables, these vegetables
are treated as weeds during high season when they are in plenty. Methods of
preservation are very important deterrent to the wider utilization of these
vegetables. Information about traditional systems is no longer transferred from
one generation to the next therefore, the knowledge gap between the older
generation in the rural areas and urban youth in particular is widening (Mnzava,
1989).
Many researchers, (Johns and Kokwaro 1991; Cooper et al. 1992; Humphry et al. 1993; Jacks 1994; Abbiw 1997;
Asfaw 1997; Mathenge 1997; Okafor 1997; Chweya and Eyzaguirre 1999; Maundu et al. 1999a; Maundu et al. 1999b) have emphasized advantages
of consuming indigenous vegetables as compared with introduced exotic leafy
vegetables such as cabbage. Firstly, the nutritional value of the indigenous
leafy vegetables is higher (Nordeide et
al. 1996; Uiso and Johns 1996; Shackleton et al. 1998).
Secondly, they ensure food security since most
indigenous vegetables are drought and pest resistant (Odiaka and Schippers,
2004). Thirdly, most species have a potential for income generation because
they grow throughout the year and can be harvested with minimal inputs (Jacks
1994). However, there is fear of losing
the indigenous knowledge therefore large quantities of vegetables are
lost due to poor handling and storage (Maudu, 2004).
Many people lack
adequate amounts of rich nutritious foods needed for health and a productive
life. Chronic under-nutrition affects some 215 million people in sub-Saharan Africa, that is, 43 percent of the population (FAO,
1996). Deficiencies of iron, vitamin A and iodine are also widespread; about
300 million people are affected every year, and a much greater number are at
risk of these deficiencies. Indigenous vegetables such as Gynandropsis (Akeyo or Dek) have very high
concentrations of iron and calcium while Tribulus terrestris L. (Okuro) has calcium (Orech et al, 2007) that can alleviate the
problem of malnutrition in Kenya.
The post-modern
period has seen most Africans leave the traditional ways that ensured constant
supply of food throughout the year and adopted methods that makes them
vulnerable to hunger and diseases. It is therefore imperative to promote these
traditional methods to supplement with the modern ones as a way of ensuring
constant supply of food.
BY: Audia Atogo
Cultural Heritage Department,
National Museums of Kenya.
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