Post-Harvest Handling and Marketing of African Indigenous Vegetables Author Ojiewo C Guga Y. Tenkouano A. Yang RY Image here

AVRDC In Africa….since 1992 Uzbekistan Korea Taiwan Laos Thailand Indonesia Solomon Islands India Syria? Madagascar Tanzania Mali Niger Cameroon Vietnam Honduras?

Vegetable R&D in Africa Collaborative Network for Vegetable Research and Development in Eastern and Southern Africa (CONVERDS, SADC) focus on human resource development and networking for delivery of promising products and techniques – about 6000 alumni from 30+ countries assembly of diverse array of indigenous vegetables – about 2000 accessions Light structure - basic field facilities and small research team

Achievements – Variety releases Crop Varieties released Country Tomato 17 (Kiboko, Meru, Tanya, Tengeru 97, Little Cherry, Creeper, Big Red, Xin, Mbambande, Khama, Xin, Samtom 13, Samtom 14, Samtom 15, MST20/13, Xina, Tropiva 3) Tanzania, Kenya, Uganda, Mauritius, Cape Verde, Nigeria, Senegal, Seychelles, Democratic Republic of Congo, Malawi Vegetable soybean 4 (Edamame1, VSS1, VSS2, <AGS292>) Sudan, Zimbabwe, Mauritius African eggplant 2 (Tengeru White, DB3) Tanzania Okra 1 (ARP1, BARI Dhirosh) Tanzania, Uganda (BEN, BKF, CIV, GAM, MLI, SNL) African nightshade (Giant Nightshade) Kenya Cowpea (Tumaini) Pepper (F1 Forever, Remington, CRI-Shito Adope, CRI-MakoNtoos) Senegal, Ghana, South Africa

Major national impacts: Tanzania Increasing productivity over the past 7 years due to new lines/ varieties by AVRDC – The World Vegetable Center and NARS partners (MAFS, 2005) + 40%

Going Further to Deliver - Working Hypothesis No or little access to improved varieties and foundation seed thereof has been a major impediment to the development of a viable private vegetable seed industry in Sub-Sahara Africa Use our Science and Networks Develop and Promote a Vegetable Business Route to Health and Wealth

Seeds Systems and Other Vegetable R&D Thrusts

Partner Seed Companies Selling Testing Not Involved Hub Seed Company Amaranth Afr. Eggplant Nighshade Eth. Mustard Roselle Spiderplant Cowpea Okra Jute Mallow Crotalaria Tomato Onion Sw & Hot Pepper Cabbage TAN Alpha Seeds   Kibo Seeds East Africa Seeds Simlaw Seeds Victoria Seeds Fica Seeds MDG Pristine Seeds Dengo Seeds SEEDFAS SEMANA (Tropicasem) CAM G.M.R Semagri - Technisem MLI Mali Semences (Tropicasem) FASO KABA

Untapped Opportunities 75% of all seed companies in Asia sell varieties which include some germplasm originating from AVRDC African seed companies being supported for selection, breeding and seed production Alfa Seed Co (Tanzania, South Africa) East African Seed Co (Tanzania, Kenya, Uganda) Kibo Seed Co (Tanzania) Mt. Elgon Seed Co (Uganda) SeedCo (Zimbabwe, Malawi) Simlaw Seed Co (Kenya) Tropicasem (Senegal) Victoria Seed Co (Uganda)

Economic Value of Vegetables (Kakamega market, Kenya) Source: Onyango, 2002

Contribution of Vegetables to Exports (Kenya,2006) Commodity Production (Ha) Export Volumes (Kgs) Export Values (Billion Kshs) Flowers 2,424 86,480 23,561 Vegetables 222,731 61,348 17,823 Fruits 152,522 15,405 1,737 Total 377,677 163,233 43,120

Yearly Cost of compliance with GlobalGAP standards Cost incurred by individual farmer Cost incurred by exporter per farmer Requirement Cost (KSh)   Application as a legal business & for water permit per year 1,600 Internal audits 530 Toilet and bathroom 12,500 Pre audits (paid once) 1,250 Grading shed 1,500 Certification audits 1,650 Fertilizer & chemical store 7,500 Capacity building 2,333 Waste & pesticide disposal pit 3,250 MRLs testing 875 Charcoal cooler Water analysis 28 Office 667 Soil analysis First aid kit 900 Organic fertilizer test 33 Sprayer equipments 6,575 Quality controller salary 417 Harvesting buckets 195 Technical assistant salary Record keeping 420 Total 36,607 (508 US$) 8,394 (115 US$)

For farmers near cities, it is difficult to find a reliable but unpolluted water source thus compromising vegetable consumer health For farmers near cities, it is difficult to find a reliable but unpolluted water source. Approx 20 mill ha are worldwide irrigated with polluted water sources. Only in the city of Accra, every day more than 200,000 urban dwellers eat fast food with vegetables from these urban farms. Photo from Kumasi, Ghana.

Health risk reduction is possible at critical control points Typical faecal coliform concentration on wastewater-irrigated lettuce in Ghana: 106 to 107 per 100 gm of fresh lettuce Improved practices can reduce at the: Farm level: 2 - 4 log units of E. coli Market level: ≥ 1 log units Kitchen level: 2 - 3 log units And also Farm level: 50 - 80% of the worm eggs Best are combinations of risk reducing interventions at the farm, market and kitchen level to effectively reduce health risks for conusmers. IWMI is working on the adoption potential and incentive systems for the various options.

Peri-urban Vegetable Production Addressing important issues: Job creation Reduced seasonality Safer vegetables for consumers Improved marketing systems

No. of samples with aflatoxin B1 in the range (g/kg) Aflatoxin B1 levels in different grades of chilli samples from AP South India Sample grade (chilli) Number analyzed No. of samples with aflatoxin B1 in the range (g/kg) <10 11-30 31-30 51-100 >100 Grade 1 42 21 16 3 1 Grade 2 38 13 10 6 4 2 Grade 3 44 11 Cold store 15 12 Powders 43 26

Sources of Indigenous Vegetables Home gardens main source in Eastern Africa But: in Tanzania 20% purchased (rural sample!)

Relative importance of IV in total food expenditure In Eastern Africa relative importance of IV decreases with increasing food expenditures Important food source for the very poor

African eggplant in local markets

African Leafy vegetables in Informal Markets

High Value Markets A. Nightshade and amaranth

Drying methods affects Carotenoid content in African nightshades

Transport

A Lack of Post-harvest storage & processing: Up to 50% of vegetable crops are lost from field to shelf

Antioxidant activity, TE Micronutrient contents of selected commonly consumed and indigenous vegetables Data source: AVRDC Nutrition Lab Ranges: including >100 vegetable species Ranges Tomato Cabbage Moringa Amaranth Aibika Sweet potato leaf b-Carotene,mg 0.0 - 22 0.40 0.00 15.28 9.23 5.11 6.82 Vit C, mg 1.1 - 353 19 22 459 113 82 81 Vit E, mg 0.0 - 71 1.16 0.05 25.25 3.44 4.51 4.69 Iron, mg 0.2 – 26 0.54 0.30 10.09 5.54 1.40 1.88 Folates, mg 2.8 – 175 5 ND 93 78 177 39 Antioxidant activity, TE 0.6 - 82,000 323 496 2858 394 560 870

Important Indigenous Vegetable Crops in Africa Ethiopian mustard (Brassica carinata) Pumpkin (Curcubita pepo) African eggplant (Solanum aethiopicum) Amaranth (Amaranthus cruentus) Moringa (Moringa Olifera) Spider-plant (Gynandropsis gynandra) Jute mallow (Corchorus olitorius) Sunhemp (Crotolaria ochroleuca)

Precursors - Nutritional Kits Awareness & Promotion: Training in growing, processing, preservation and cooking Tanzania (2007) - 8000 seed packs distributed Home Gardens (6 m x 6 m): 170 to 250 kg of vegetables produced over a year Seed Production: 28 seed companies in ESA engaged alongside AVRDC

African Vegetable Dishes --Nutrition Improved Recipes

Need for quality control post harvest Inadequate grading Inadequate washing Inadequate packaging Lack of cold storage Lack of essential infrastructure

Improving food supply by reducing postharvest loss Reducing postharvest losses for fresh produce is an integral part of sustainable agricultural development Percentage of funding provided for horticultural development efforts over the past 30 years 5% 95% Reducing postharvest loss Increasing production Source: Kader and Rolle 2004

Value Chains ….. also a Chain of Values $$$$ Safe Production (GAP) Healthy Living High return (Income, Social Capital) on investment (Labor, Time, Water, Land, Inputs)