From the Veld

Modern man takes a great deal for granted! Did you know that the blackjack, often regarded as a weed, has nutritious leaves that are a substitute for spinach? Or that 180g of Acacia gum can sustain a human being for 24 hours? In fact hundreds of our indigenous plants have food or medicinal value. Of the 1000 trees endemic to southern Africa, 200 produce edible fruits that are still used today. In Kwa Zulu alone, 40 root, 120 leaf and 133 fruit types are eaten. The Kung Bushmen of the Kalahari, who rely on plants for 80% of their dietary needs, make use of 145 plant species.

Not only are endemic foods rich in variety, they are often of exceptional nutritional quality. Many have vitamin C and protein contents that far exceed well known commercial varieties. Statistics show that among people relying on veld foods malnutrition is rare and common modern ailments such as hypertension and heart disease is unknown.

Unfortunately knowledge of food resources is rapidly decreasing as people become increasingly reliant on the support of 1st world agriculture and agriculture and technology. Millions of people in Southern Africa, including urban populations, are suffering from malnutrition due to a limited variety of available commercial foods, which are often of poor nutritional value. Given the variety and adaptability of endemic plant foods their potential for use in agriculture is huge. Botswana is presently attempting to commercialise some valuable wild foods. One of these, the Morama bean has a very high oil and protein content, is being sustainably harvested from wild populations. Efforts are also underway to cultivate 2 species of wild melons. Both have a high vitamin C content and one of them has a surprisingly high protein content. We must not forget that our food crops of today originated from wild varieties, as did some important medicinal drugs. Endemic foods may similarly become tomorrows cash crops. Southern Africa is becoming drier and we are reaching the limits to what can be done to improve existing crops. Therefore the adaptability and variety provided by wild plants may be the key to keeping our rapidly expanding population well nourished.

Article researched by Arthur Albertson. (Courtesy of Deltalk, Spring Edition 1995/6)