Wild and semi-wild food plants (WSWFPs) although widely consumed in many parts of Uganda, suffer from large neglect, disregard, and erosion. Agricultural programmers envision their use as a 'backward' food security practice, devoting very little attention, if any, to them. This little attention and support washes any away practical and inexpensive efforts to improve nutrition and income among the poor households. This study, therefore, explored the use and potential of WSWFPs in alleviating household poverty and food insecurity in Bunyoro-Kitara Kingdom, Uganda. Specifically, it: (1) documented WSWFPs commonly consumed, parts consumed, contribution to the diet, cultural significance and social implications of their consumption by the local people; (2) explored the local methods of harvesting, preparation, and preservation of the commonly
consumed WSWFPs; (3) assessed the nutritional values of selected WSWFPs; (4)
assessed the market potential of the traded WSWFPs; (5) determined local management practices, selection criteria, constraints, opportunities and strategies to use and management of WSWFPs in the Kingdom. The study employed both qualitative and quantitative designs, using descriptive and exploratory surveys, and laboratory techniques. Household survey using semi-structured questionnaire was used to collect data on the objectives 1 and 5. Focus group discussions (FDGs) were held to seek data on objective 2 and parts of objective 1 and 5. Rapid market surveys (RMS) were conducted to collect data on objective 4. Key informant interviews were used to corroborate household survey and RMS data. Field walks with key informants were conducted to collect samples of selected WSWFPs for laboratory analysis. Selection of WSWFPs for nutrient content analyses were guided by SWOT (strength, weakness,
opportunities and threats) analysis in reference to availability of the plant, market value, available information on nutritional composition, and extent of anthropogenic pressure on species. Data from household survey, key informant interviews, FGDs and RMS were analysed using a combination of methods and statistical packages. The laboratory and analytical procedures included determination of moisture, ash, calories, protein, fat, total carbohydrates, dietary fibre, vitamins, essential macro, and micro mineral elements contents using standard procedures.
Sixty (62) WSWFPs belonging to 31 botanical families were reportedly being commonly consumed in the study area. Their consumption comprised a major part (7 to 9 months) of the dietary intake of the poor households. Fresh leaves and shoots, and fruits were the most predominantly consumed plant parts. Mean per capita harvests varied substantially by species, as high as 31.59 g day^-1 in Amaranthus dubius to about 0.04 g day^-1 as in Lantana camara. Like mean per capita harvest, mean per capita consumption also varied from one species to another. Mean per capita consumption of some the plants such as Hyptis spicigera (107.02 g day^-1) and Borassus aethiopum (91.82 g day^-1) were higher
than the reported vegetable and fruit per capita consumption of 79.45 g day^-1 in sub Saharan Africa, although much lower than the world average of 205.48 g consumed per person per day. Besides, most WSWFPs had moderate (CFSI 20- 99) to very high (CFSI ≥300) cultural food significance indices. Gathering techniques, which were largely dependant on the plant parts harvested, included plucking of edible parts (e.g. leaves and shoots); picking/collecting fruits that have fallen from the tree to the ground; pulling out (uprooting) the whole plant (e.g. Amaranthus) from the soil; cutting off the tender aerial plant parts; digging out the tubers and roots, knocking down ('shooting') fruits from the tree crowns with objects such as stones, and climbing and shaking of tree branches to dislodge the ripe fruits. Preparation procedures for the
gathered edible plants also varied from plant to plant. Some procedures such as sorting, wilting, washing, and chopping of the plants into smaller pieces prior to cooking were common among many leafy plants that are normally cooked. Actual cooking procedure such as boiling, stir-frying, steaming, and/or addition to other cooking foods, as well as cooking time, and cooking ingredients were dependant on each species. Most fruits were eaten as snacks without any special preparation procedures. Majority of the gathered plants were preserved by direct sun drying. Shelf lives of freshly harvested plants varied from two to 10 days under special conditions. Preserved food plants had storage shelf life ranging from four to about 12 months depending on the plant species. Trade in these plants was largely undeveloped with very short and simple market chains, and few traders (mainly women) selling WSWFPs in combination with conventional food plants such as tomatoes, okra, and cabbages. Almost all the traders sold WSWFPs in their generic forms without any form of processing or value addition. Those who attempted to process or add value were engaged only in preliminary activities such as sorting bad or old plants away from the batches. There were no definite mechanisms of setting prices of traded WSWFPs; most traders relied on the daily market demand, time and risks involved in gathering process, past seasons' prices, and price information of substitute
foods. Average weekly profits yielded from traded WSWFPs were moderate and ranged from UGX 764.5 to 6754.2 (USD 0.38-3.36).
Compared to the conventionally planted cabbage, mangoes and sesame crops, most WSWFPs were generally richer sources of macro and micronutrients, including, vitamin C, beta-carotene, calories, total carbohydrates, dietary fibres, ash, moisture, potassium, phosphorus, magnesium, calcium, sodium to iron, manganese, copper and zinc, and therefore they can help improve household nutrition especially during the months preceding the harvest of cultivated crops and also during periods of social unrests, droughts, famine, and other natural catastrophes. A diet comprising of WSWFPs can definitely assure a relief from some of the major and minor nutrient deficiencies often faced by the poor households. A few (44.4 ± 2.6%) households were involved in the management of the gathered WSWFPs. Common management practices included occasional cultivation, seeds scattering to encourage more availability, and sparing/tolerating some WSWFPs in the gardens. Only 13 of the 62 documented
WSWFPs were occasionally cultivated in the area. Their selections for cultivation were based on a number of criteria such as their market demands, tastes, ability to produce harvestable parts in a short time period, cultural and social acceptability, and their ease of management. Main challenges to their use, management, and promotion in the Kingdom included their weak market competitiveness compared to conventional crops, their general weedy characteristics, scarce knowledge on preparation procedures, negative public perceptions, little promotional support from the government, and the
increasing inaccessibility of some of the food plants because of habitat loss. On the other hand, the main opportunities to their use, management, and promotion included the increasing awareness of their nutritional values, growing demand, and market value of some WSWFPs in face of local and national food problems, and the fact that most WSWFPs are already an integral part of local cultures and are present in many traditional food preparation systems. Key strategies for promoting their use and management included setting up local community seed centres to maintain and supply planting materials; scaling-up public awareness campaigns on their nutritional benefits;
and supporting deliberate cultivation and marketing of these plants by the local people.