FACTORS INFLUENCING TECHNOLOGY ADOPTION BY TRADITIONAL AFRICAN VEGETABLE FARMERS IN NORTHERN GHANA

The production of traditional African vegetables is an age-old tradition among the people of the northern region of Ghana. However, the knowledge base of traditional African vegetable production remains local due to a lack of research and policy support. Therefore, the adoption of improved technology among traditional vegetable farmers is generally low and impedes efforts to promote widespread cultivation, consumption and even commercialisation. This study aims at clarifying potential factors that determine the adoption of technologies by traditional African vegetable farmers in the northern region of Ghana. One hundred and five (105) respondents in five communities and across two administrative districts in the northern region were selected for an in-depth survey using a combination of quantitative and qualitative data collection methods. In addition, a logit regression was used to determine the effect of various factors on technology adoption by farmers. Among the factors, the educational level of a farmer, access to credit, farm size, experience in farming and access to extension support were found to be important factors affecting the decision of traditional African vegetable farmers to adopt improved technology. The results of this study can help enhance the effectiveness of policy re-orientation towards a more effective commercialisation of traditional African vegetables in Ghana and elsewhere.

Seed Systems of Traditional African Vegetables in Eastern Africa: A Systematic Review

Traditional African Vegetables (TAV) play an important role in the livelihoods, food and nutritional security of local populations. Access to high-quality seeds of improved varieties is a foundation for increasing crop productivity. TAV seed systems have received little attention. We systematically reviewed the literature to assess the sustainability (seed quality, availability, accessibility, affordability, and profitability of seed businesses) of TAV seed systems in Eastern Africa. The review revealed that the private sector mediated seed system (i.e., formal) offered higher potential for seed quality, and profitability for seed growers. The community-based seed system showed higher potential in ensuring a better access to seeds. The quality of TAV seeds was partially addressed in the studies with a focus on germination percentage and purity, which varied across systems, crops, and geography. While there was a trend of poorer seed quality in the informal system, seed quality in the formal and community-based systems was not necessarily better. The affordability of seed from the various systems (private sector mediated, community based and informal) needs further investigation. Because TAV seed systems are localized and differ significantly among and within countries, tailored interventions are required when promoting a given TAV seed system. We identified inter-regional gaps in TAV seed systems studies, with all the studies concentrated in Eastern Africa, mainly in Tanzania and Kenya. Filling these gaps will require more investment in other regions in sub-Saharan Africa to document existing initiatives or initiate interventions seeking to promote access to high-quality TAV seeds. This review sheds light on existing gaps in research on TAV seed systems to guide future interventions.

EXPERIMENTAL THERAPEUTIC EVALUATION OF THE AFRICAN VEGETABLES (CLERODENDRUM VOLUBILE LEAF AND IRVINGIA GABONENSIS SEED EXTRACTS) IN TRASTUZUMAB-MEDIATED HEPATO-RENAL DYSFUNCTION IN WISTAR RATS

Objective: The use of trastuzumab (TZM) in the clinical management of human epidermal growth factor receptor 2 positive metastatic breast and gastric cancers, gastro-esophageal adenocarcinoma, and colorectal carcinoma has been limited by its off-target cardiac, hepatic, and renal toxicities which till date have no effective therapies in either their prevention or amelioration. Thus, the present study is designed at investigating the protective and therapeutic potentials of 400 mg/kg/day Clerodendrum volubile ethanol leaf extract (CVE) and Irvingia gabonensis ethanol seed extract (IGE) pretreatments in TZM-intoxicated Wistar rats based on their reported folkloric use in the local management of kidney and liver diseases and the previously reported therapeutic potential of these African vegetables in TZM cardiotoxicity. Methods: Forty-nine male Wistar rats were randomly allotted into seven groups of seven rats per group. Group I rats were treated with 10 ml/kg/day of 5% dimethyl sulfoxide (DMSO) sterile water p.o. and 1 ml/kg/day 5% DMSO sterile water i.p.; Groups II and III rats were orally pretreated with 400 mg/kg/day CVE and IGE, respectively, 3 h before 1 ml/kg/day/i.p. 5% DMSO sterile water; Group IV rats were orally pretreated with 10 ml/kg/day 5% DMSO sterile water 3 h before 2.25 mg/kg/day/i.p. TZM; and Groups V-VII rats were pretreated with 20 mg/kg/day Vit. C, 400 mg/kg/day CVE, and 400 mg/kg/day IGE all dissolved in 5% DMSO sterile water, respectively, 3 h before i.p. injections of 2.25 mg/kg/day TZM, all for 7 days. Liver function parameters, renal function parameters, oxidative stress markers, and histopathological investigations were the study measuring endpoints. Results: Oral pretreatment with 20 mg/kg/day Vit. C, 400 mg/kg/day CVE and IGE significantly ameliorated TZM-mediated hepatic and renal toxicities by effectively lowering the serum alanine transaminase, aspartate transaminase, alkaline phosphatase, creatinine, and urea levels. CVE and IGE pretreatments also significantly reversed TZM-induced decreases in the hepatic and renal tissue catalase, superoxide dismutase, and glutathione- S-transferase activities and reduced malondialdehyde levels. CVE and IGE pretreatments also improved TZM-induced hepatic and renal histological lesions. Conclusions: Overall, the chemotherapeutic/chemopreventive potentials of CVE and IGE in TZM-induced hepatorenal dysfunction were either wholly or partly mediated through free-radical scavenging and antioxidant activities.

Connecting genebanks to farmers in East Africa through the distribution of vegetable seed kits

Genebanks explore new partnerships with farmers and other user groups to provide smallholder farmers in Africa better access to crop diversity for improved nutrition, climate change adaptation and agricultural diversification. This paper shows how the World Vegetable Center (WorldVeg) genebank of traditional African vegetables and its partners distributed over 42,000 seed kits containing over 183,000 vegetable seed samples from 2013 to 2017 to smallholder farmers in Tanzania, Kenya and Uganda. The seed kits contained seed samples of promising accessions and open-pollinated breeding lines of traditional African vegetables, and to a lower degree of tomato,Capsicumpepper and soybean, usually enough to plant in a home garden. We identified four research questions to better understand the role of vegetable seed kits in strengthening local seed systems, impact on local vegetable diversity, improving human nutrition and supporting climate-resilient agriculture. As formal seed systems expand their reach, the genebank's role to supply vegetable diversity to public and private breeding programmes becomes more important. To optimize supply of vegetable diversity, the WorldVeg genebank of traditional African vegetables continues working with partners in both formal and local seed systems.