期刊名称：Journal of Emerging Trends in Economics and Management Sciences
电子版ISSN：2141-7024
出版年度：2019
卷号：10
期号：1
页码：24-32
出版社：Scholarlink Resource Centre
摘要：African Indigenous Vegetables (AIVs) contributes significantly to many African economies as a tool to tackle hidden hunger and malnutrition. Globally the attainment of the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) one and three; on ending poverty and hunger, and gender equality can be enhanced through promotion of the AIVs .The aim of this study was generally to analyze the market trends and the consumption of the African Indigenous Vegetables among the farmers, traders and consumers. Specifically common AIVs that are grown in Meru and Tharaka Nithi were determined and their nutrition knowledge levels by the value chain were also determined .Socio-economic factors which influence the consumption of AIVs among farmers, traders and consumers as well as their attitudes towards these vegetables were also examined. The study was conducted in Meru and Tharaka Nithi counties using stratified random sampling approach .Primary data was collected from a sample size of 152 househoods of farmers , Traders and consumers using structured questionnaires .The findings of the study showed the commonly grown and consumed AIVs are cowpeas followed by amaranth and African Night shade and the other varieties in small quantities . Household annual income, household size, AIV farm size, and being in Agriculture and livestock were found to significantly influence consumption of AIVs among the farmers, traders and consumers. The findings revealed that AIV nutrition knowledge levels were high among consumers followed by farmers and finally traders. The years spent in schooling, being in a formal employment or an informal employment, yearly income level, household size and the farm size used for growing AIVs were found to significantly influence the Knowledge of nutrition among farmers. Gender (being male or female ), the years spent in schooling, yearly income level and the household size were found to be the significant factors influencing the knowledge of nutrition among consumers. Finally, gender (being male or female ), age, being in agriculture and livestock occupation, household size, culture taboos and the medicinal value of the AIVs were found to be the factors influencing the nutrition knowledge levels among Traders. Finally the farmer’s attitude towards consumption of AIVs was associated with good health benefits, personal attitude towards AIVs, individual perception and the future benefits of AIVs. In conclusion, this study was able to indentify various reasons which could have let to lack of enough information on the nutrition value and socio-economic factors which could have led to low consumption of AIVs, which if addressed would be a tool to tackle hidden hunger and malnutrition in this region.
