25 - Food - Introduction
4
Sufficient and Nutritious Food
25 • Introduction
There are a number of simple, low-cost
systems that can improve food security
and nutrition. This can, for example, be
done by increasing the diversity of food
crops while at the same time improving the
environment. When a greater variety of
plants are grown, there is less risk of yield
loss, plus the food may be more nutritious
due to its biodiversity. They may also have
a larger number of predatory insects and
birds, which means there is less chance
of damaging organisms will develop large
63
populations because they may be kept down
by natural enemies.
Food security and environment are also
linked because people with better health
and livelihoods are in a stronger position
to choose long-term sustainable solutions
even when such solutions require an extra
effort at the start.
When people are in good health they can:
• Plant living fences, thus reducing losses
from their food gardens to animals.
• Plant trees for food, fodder, fuel and
building materials, thus reducing the
work for fetching these products and, at
the same time, reducing deforestation.
 64 40 Green World Actions

• Grow plants to use for pest manage-
ment, thus reducing losses to pests by
means of less toxic products.
• Dig wells to provide water closer to
food gardens, thus offering an alterna-
tive to clearing vegetation along rivers
to establish gardens.
It is necessary to disseminate such systems
to a greater number of people. This chapter
describes some systems that may improve
food security and nutrition:
• improving nutrition through food
processing techniques, such as ferment-
ing, malting and food drying practices
(sections 26-29),
• diversifying food crops, by growing
moringa, leafy vegetables and medical
herbs (sections 30-33),
• improving yields, by protecting gardens
with live fences and biopesticides, as
well as using seed priming technique
(sections 34-37).

It is
useful
to use
biopesti-
cides to
fight pests
when stor-
ing maize
 26 - Food - Fermented Food
26 • Fermented
Food
The benefits of fermentation have been
known since ancient times, and many
products, such as milk, cereals, cassava and
vegetables have been used. Fermentation is
done through the introduction of micro-
organisms which cause chemical changes
in food.
In this chapter, the idea is to promote a
traditional system of using fermenting por-
ridges as food for children.
Fermentation makes some food more nu-
tritious plus reduces diarrhoea. The acid
produced during fermentation may also help
to conserve certain foods.
Introduction
Fermented porridges are traditionally given
to young children in Tanzania. Fermentation
may be done overnight, and the product
used with no need to cook it for the next
1-2 days. Swedish studies have shown that
children eating porridges which have been
fermented (togwa) exhibit lower incidence
of diarrhoea than those eating regular por-
ridges (nshima or sadza). The incidence of
diarrhoea was nearly halved in the group
eating togwa when compared to the nshima
group.
Fermenting nshima is a process where the
lacteal yeasts naturally found on grains is
used. Some of these are the same type
as those used for making yoghurt. They
change maize sugars into lactic acid. This
acid gives the product a fresh taste, and it
also prevents the growth of harmful mi-
croorganisms, such as the bacteria which
causes diarrhoea.
65
Fermenting
organisms are
also beneficial
because they
act in a similar
manner inside
the body.
They usu-
ally live in the
intestines,
where they
improve digestion and prevent other mi- Making
croorganisms from causing constipation or nshima
diarrhoea. They are also necessary for the in
production of B-vitamins in the intestines. north-
Vitamins are important for the immune ern Mo-
system because they help the body resist zam-
diseases. Additionally, fermentation makes bique
it easier for the human body to assimilate
food nutrients - particularly iron, zinc and
phosphates.
Fermentation also reduces the toxin (cya-
nide) that is naturally present in cassava,
specifically in the bitter varieties.
Production of the starter
culture
If it is common practice in the area to eat
fermented porridges, you simply add a
bit of the fermented product where this
step is described. If you don’t have any
fermented products, you could try to add
some yoghurt or over- ripe fruits, which
usually contain ferments. Or try to ferment
some grains by leaving them in a humid,
dark place.
How to make fermented
porridges
• Clean the grains thoroughly by remov-
ing small stones, insects, and weeds.
• Soak the grains in clean water, in a cool
place for one whole day. This process
66 40 Green World Actions
helps to reduce an anti-nutritional com-
pound (phytin), which, if not destroyed,
binds iron in the food. This prevents the
body from absorbing it. Iron is impor-
tant for the human body, particularly in
the formation of red, oxygen-carrying
blood cells (haemoglobin).
• Boil the grains in the usual way to make
nshima/sadza/porridge.
27 • Malted Grain
The idea is to use malted grains to rapidly
make porridges into a liquid as a way of get-
ting safe and sufficient food for babies.
Introduction
Sadza in Zimbabwe, or nshima in Mozam-
bique, are porridges made from maize,
sorghum, millet, plantains or cassava. In
many developing countries this kind of food
is the staple.
In many places people do not have ready
access to specially prepared baby foods.
Babies, who no longer get breast milk,
are therefore often fed the same food as
adults. The only difference being that their
porridge is diluted with water, making it
easier to eat/drink. This may cause two
problems:
• risk of infections, since the water used
is often not boiled,
• risk that the baby does not receive
enough calories because the food is
diluted.
• Cover the porridge and let it cool. If
there is plenty, divide it into smaller
portions so that it cools quicker.
• When the temperature of the porridge
is around 30ºC (as your skin), add some
togwa from the last cooking, or some
fermented grains.
The food should be ready next morning. It
should taste sour and not smell bad.
When porridge is diluted, it usually con-
tains only about one quarter of the energy
(carbohydrates) of breast milk. This means
babies do not get enough calories because
they can only drink/eat a certain amount.
Since most babies are fed only when the
rest of the family eats - that is, perhaps 2-3
times a day - the result may be underweight
babies.
It is relatively simple to produce concen-
trated baby food. Any kind of porridge turns
into a watery liquid when malted grain is
added. It is possible to produce liquid rice,
liquid potato, liquid maize, in a short time.
The reason for this change is that malted
grains are rich in an enzyme (amylase) that
changes starch into sugars that can then
be dissolved in water. All grains have this
potential to make stored nutrients, in the
form of starch, available when the new
plant, the sprout, starts to grow.
When you add a little malted grain to the
boiled porridge you get:
• more concentrated baby food, because
starch transforms into soluble sugars,
• safer baby food, since microorganisms
have been killed during boiling and there
is no need to dilute with water that
could be contaminated.
 27 - Food - Malted Grain 67

If you live in a city, the easiest way to do How to

this is to buy malted grains, which are usu- use malted
ally inexpensive. The best is malted barley
grain
(also used in beer production).
If you do not have access to shops selling A few pinches
malted grain you can make it yourself. This of malted flour
is simple, and you can use grains grown are enough to
locally. make one cup
of porridge into
How to malt grain liquid. The baby
can then sip this from a cup, or suck from
• Use any whole grain - sorghum, millet, a bottle. The food is now concentrated, so Tanza-
maize, barley, wheat, rice, etc. if there is enough of it, the baby should get nian child
• Clean the grains thoroughly, removing enough calories. drinking
small stones, insects or weeds. Do not togwa
use them if they look/smell bad. *** It is important to use clean water when
• Soak the grains for one day in clean soaking grain. During the soaking, harm-
water - boiled or treated with solar ful microorganisms can multiply and later
disinfection (SODIS). For soaking, use contaminate food. ***
1 part grains to 3 parts water.
• Spread the grains on a clean mat or *** This system only ensures enough calo-
banana leaf in a 2-3 cm layer. Do this ries. To improve access to proteins and
in a cool place, protected from animals vitamins for infants, see the section on
and chickens. how to make soya milk, and how to dry
• Cover the grains with leaves so they will fruits and vegetables for vitamins in the
not dry. off-season. ***
• Check every day to make sure the grains
are moist, and mix the layer to give
them air. Photo from the Chalmers University of Technol-
• Sprinkle with water if they get too dry ogy website, which has studies on the benefits
• Do not use the grains if fungi (mould) of fermenting food.
start to grow on them. www.chalmers.se/en/
• When they sprout (the small plant
comes out of the grain), dry them well
in the sun for a few days.
• Grind the dried sprouted seeds to
flour.
• Store the flour in a closed jar in a dry
place so you can use it for a long time.
68 40 Green World Actions
28 • Soybean
Processing
The idea is to promote the use of soybeans,
since they are easy to grow and contain much
protein.
Introduction
Soybeans are grown all over the world in
both temperate and tropical climates. Seeds
are easy to obtain in most places, and they
are fairly easy to grow.
One big advantage of growing soya is that,
like other legumes, the plants fertilize the
soil with nitrogen, because of the bacteria
(Rhizobium) living in nodules on the roots.
These bacteria use atmospheric nitrogen
and produce nutrients that the plants need
to make proteins. These bacteria are not
always available in the soil. You may then
need to inoculate the seeds (which means
allowing bacteria and plant to create a sym-
biosis, where they grow together). Start
by finding an area where there are nodules
on plant roots. If you cut or slice open the
nodules they should be pink/red inside.
This suggests the soil has sufficient bacteria
present. Mix this soil lightly with water and
dip the seeds that need the bacteria before
planting them.
Soybeans are mostly used for oil produc-
tion and for animal feed. It is not often that
soybeans themselves are simply cooked
and eaten. Some reasons are the long time
needed to cook soybeans in order to soften
them enough to make digestible, and prob-
lems with intestinal gas due to the soluble
sugars. However, it is possible to solve
such problems with a few tips, and make
soybeans into tasty, healthy food.
Soya deserves to be used much more be-
cause:
• Growing soya fertilizes the soil.
• Soybeans contain more protein than
other beans - up to 40%.
• Soya milk is a good source of protein
for weaned babies (who no longer get
breast milk).
Soya milk is simple to make and does not re-
quire any specialised equipment. It is there-
fore possible to produce milk for growing
children who need a lot of protein.
How to make soya milk
• Let 1-2 cups of beans soak overnight
with 3-5 cups of water.
• The next day, rinse the beans with clean
water.
• Boil them for about 10 minutes then
drain off the water.
• Pound (pulverize) the beans mixed with
same amount of boiling water.
• Pour the blended mixture through a
clean cloth (T-shirt) - or a very fine sieve
- to separate the milk from the rest of
the soya.
• Squeeze the bag to get as much milk as
possible. Add more boiling water to get
the rest squeezed out.
• Bring the milk to boiling point very care-
fully so that it does not boil over.
• Boil it for 10 minutes while stirring.
Drink it hot or let it cool. If you have
honey, ginger or sugar, you can mix in to
sweeten.
The reason for boiling the milk is to get
rid of a very strong “beany” taste. It also
removes some special sugars that create
gas in the intestines.
After extracting the soya milk, the remaining
material (soya pulp or okara) is as nutritious
as soya milk. As it is a fresh product, it
cannot be stored for long. Cook with
vegetables and spices.
 28 - Food - Soybean Processing 69

How to make soya yoghurt • Sprinkle them with water every day
to keep them cool and moist, but they
Soya milk can also be made into yoghurt, should not be covered with water.
using the culture from regular yoghurt. • After five to ten days, the sprouts will
Yoghurt is produced when specialised be two inches (5 cm) long.
bacteria grow in milk. They produce more • Cook them for 2-4 minutes so the
proteins, and are also good to eat because “beany or nutty” flavour disappears.
they make it difficult for harmful bacteria Sprouts are a
to grow in the intestines. Research in Tan- fresh product,
zania found that children eating porridges and should be
fermented with the same bacteria (togwa), eaten soon af-
showed less incidence of diarrhoea than ter production
ones eating unfortified porridges. Diarrhoea or they will
incidence was nearly halved in the group spoil.
eating togwa. Another advantage is that this Apart from
process makes it easier for food nutrients, being rich in
such as iron and phosphates, to be utilised proteins, soya
by the body. These minerals are important also has spe-
in growing children for the development of cific properties
blood and bones. that help the body to maintain insulin lev- Children
• Let the milk cool to around 30°C. els better than other protein-rich foods, need
(Measure this temperature by putting a like meat or chicken. Another plus, is that much
drop on your skin, when you cannot feel soya contains substances called isoflavones, protein for
it as either hot or cold it is ready). which are found in plants and help the body growing
• Add a spoonful of yoghurt culture (the to fight diseases. This means that soya is a up. Soya
first time you may need to buy some, or good immunity booster. milk can
try to get some from somebody. After supply
that, you can use the bacteria from the How to make soya flour much of
yoghurt already made). this.
Keep it in a closed, clean container in a • Drop soybeans into boiling water gradu-
warm place (in the sun) for half a day. ally so that the boiling does not stop.
Eat with fruits, in salads, plain or sweetened • Let them boil for at least 30 minutes
with either honey or sugar. • Wash the soybeans in clean water.
• Dry the cooked soybeans on a mat or
How to make soya sprouts sack in the sun until dry, about 3 days.
• Pound the dry soybeans and sieve to get
Soya sprouts may be eaten as a cooked the flour - or grind them at the grinding
vegetable. They are used in soups, salads, mill.
and side dishes. During sprouting, specific • Store the flour in an air tight container
sugars are used by the soya plant. This re- and use it as required.
duces the issue of intestinal gas and vitamin
C is produced. Note: Never take uncooked soybeans to
• Soak the beans overnight. the grinding mill. Uncooked soya is not
• Place them in a covered container, in healthy.
the dark.
 70 40 Green World Actions

29 • Drying Fruits Vitamin C is important because it:

• prevents infections
and Vegetables • produces brain and nerve chemicals
• controls blood cholesterol levels
• helps the body to take up iron from
The idea is to build and use solar dryers to food
dry fruit and vegetable so that vitamins can The best way to get vitamins is to eat fresh
be available beyond the fruiting seasons. fruit. However, fruits like mangoes are
available for a few months only. They often
Introduction go to waste, or are sold much too cheaply
because of oversupply. By drying mangoes,
Fruits and vegetables contain many vitamins it is possible to have a vitamin source all
- notably vitamin A and C. It is very impor- year round.
tant for growing children to get enough of Many fruits and vegetables are good for
these vitamins. drying: mango, banana, guava, papaya,
During its first 6 months, a child gets vi- pineapple, tomato, green vegetables and
tamin A via the mother’s milk. Therefore, moringa leaves.
pregnant women and breastfeeding mothers Try it with local fruits as well - mahobo-
should ensure hobo, morula etc. They are also filled with
they get suf- vitamins, and plentiful seasonally.
ficient vitamin If fruits and vegetables are dried directly
A. Vitamin A in the sun, some of the vitamins are lost.
is found in yel- But if a solar dryer is used most of the
low and orange vitamins are kept. It is fairly easy to build a
fruits or veg- solar dryer.
etables (in the
form of beta Low cost solar dryer
carotene). It
is therefore There are numerous models. All resemble
The dryer good to eat carrots, mangoes and papaya a box and have a tray inside, where fruits
can be (pawpaw) in order to obtain vitamin A. and vegetables are placed for drying. This
made Tomatoes, cabbage, and moringa leaves tray can be made of bamboo or straw, and
of wood especially, are good sources. must allow air to flow through. Mosquito
(shown) or netting or other plastic netting may also
mud Vitamin A is important because it: be used.
• prevents infections,
• keeps eyes healthy, Mud dryer
• is required for good growth.
ITDG (Intermediate Technology Develop-
Good sources of vitamin C are oranges, ment Group, now called “Practical Action”)
lemons and limes, but guava, green pepper, has successfully developed a low-cost solar
spinach and other vegetables also contain dryer made of mud in Nepal.
it.
 29 - Food - Drying Fruits and Vegetables 71

Materials required to construct a mud solar

dryer:
• mixture of clay and cow-dung or finely
chopped hay, sawdust or rice husks,
• bricks or stones,
• small bamboo pipes, or other pipes for
ventilation,
• bamboo or wood for making trays,
• non-corrosive wire mesh (optional),
• non-toxic black paint (optional),
• transparent plastic (Polypropylene 100-
200 gauge).

Description of dryer
The dryer should be placed at an angle of
about 20 degrees from the ground, and
should be placed facing the sun in the pe-
riod when there are food products to be
dried (north or south depending on your
location).
The body and base of the dryer are con-
structed with bricks or stones. A mixture
of clay and finely chopped plant material is
used to bind the bricks/stones together.
Clay is mixed with plant material to avoid
cracks. Small bamboo pipes (or tubes) are
used as an inlet for cool air and a small
window (gap) is made at the top end of the
dryer to release hot air. Wood or bamboo
and wire mesh are used to make the trays
for holding food materials to be dried.
Other materials such as mosquito nets or
straw mats may also be used. The important
thing is to allow air to move freely through
the tray.
The plastic is fastened to a wood/bamboo
frame and this is used to cover the dryer.
The cover should be tight enough to pre-
vent flies and other insects from entering
through the top.
in the dryer and result in faster drying of Dryer
the products. The dryer must have about 3 base and
to 4 inches (7.5 - 10 cm) space under and body
above the tray. Usually, a dryer of 4 x 6 feet made of
is enough for a household. mud and
bricks
Precaution
Care should be taken while handling the
plastic cover of the dryer as it can easily
be damaged. It is also recommended that
children be kept away from the dryer to
prevent damage.
The plastic should be replaced every two
months, or when it is no longer transpar-
ent.
Cost
The cost is between US$ 5 - 8 depending on
the size of the dryer and availability of local
materials, such as bricks and wood.
Solar mud dryer illustration. Information and
drawing of mud dryer from “Food Chain 27”
ITDG. www.itdg.org

Blackboard paint (non-toxic) can be used to

paint the inside of the dryer, including the
trays. This will increase the temperature
 72 40 Green World Actions
Simple plastic model
This simple dryer has a structure based on
the system used for drying dishes in South-
ern Africa. It is usually made of bamboo or
sticks.
The roof is made of plastic. It is best to
use strong plastic, such as the kind used
for greenhouses. The plastic should extend
over the edges of the drying table, so that
rain runs off the plastic cover and does not
enter the dry-
er from the
sides.
The plastic is
rolled around a
straight stick at
both sides. The
stick should be
slightly longer
than the width
The of the plastic and tied firmly to the plastic.
plastic This will prevent the plastic from being
dryer costs blown away, and enables the user to lift the
around plastic to access the dryer from the sides.
US$ 2 The sticks also make it easier to take the
plastic off and roll it up at times when the
dryer is not in use.
If you have problems with chickens or other
birds going into the dryer to take food, you
need to make a chicken wire system or use
other loose netting to close the open ends
of the dryer.
It is advisable to use black plastic on the
table. This increases the temperature in
the dryer. It is also possible to use a mat or
clean cloth to cover the table where your
food items are spread
Usually the price of such a dryer does not
exceed US$ 2.
Dimensions of the dryer
Height: about one m, to be a comfortable
working height and high enough to prevent
children and animals from reaching it.
Length: just under two m, as greenhouse
and black plastic usually are available in a
standard two m width.
Width: about 1.5 m (= two arm-lengths, as
all parts of the dryer table should be easily
accessible).
Wooden model
The sides of the box can be made of timber
or metal sheets. In this way, it is possible to
easily move the dryer wherever it is needed,
angle it to get the most sun, and move it in-
side should it rain. It is important that there
are holes on the sides, to allow fresh air in
to dry the fruit.
In the simplest model, a box is covered with
a frame of black plastic. Fruits and vegeta-
bles should not get direct sunlight. That is
why black plastic is used.
The drawing (over the page) shows a
model with two parts, where the air can
move from a heating chamber to a drying
chamber.
Heating chamber
Use clear plastic or glass to get more solar
energy inside. You can increase the heating
by painting the inside black, or carefully burn
the planks black.
Drying chamber
Here black plastic is used to preserve
vitamins. The drying tray is placed in this
chamber.
This model is placed so that hot air from
the heating chamber moves up through the
drying chamber. Hot air will always move
 29 - Food - Drying Fruits and Vegetables 73

up just like smoke.

The drawing shows a
dryer that can turn so
that it faces the sun. It is
also suggested to make
a system in which it is
possible to regulate the
air outlet. You can then
open it more if it gets
too hot in the dryer.
Make a “door” at the
same place, so the tray
or trays can be placed
without moving the plas-
tic top.

How to dry fruit

It is important to use firm and ripe fruits.
Do not use overripe fruits.
Mangoes and bananas
• Peel and cut in thin slices so they dry
faster.
• Dip in lemon juice and water (20:1), to
reduce loss of vitamins.
• Spread them on a tray made of bamboo,
plastic, sisal. Metal destroys vitamins.
• Cover or keep the dryer inside at night
and if it rains.
Fruits should be ready in 3-4 days, when
they are dry but still leathery, and they do
not break.
Pack them in plastic bags, seal tightly and
make small air holes .
Keep them in a dark, dry place - for exam-
ple in a mealy meal bag - hanging inside so
rodents do not eat them.
Guavas and papaya (pawpaw)
Repeat the same process as for mangoes,
but they should be dipped in a syrup made
of lemon juice mixed with sugar:
Wooden
• Mix lemon juice with two parts water. dryer
• Heat it gently. from the
• Dissolve the sugar (twice the volume of German
the lemon juice) by stirring it. organisa-
• Keep stirring until it cools. tion GTZ)
• Wash firm, ripe fruits.
• Remove seeds and threads and cut into
thin slices.
• Immediately place the slices in syrup for
15 minutes.
• Remove the slices and drain from
syrup.
• Continue as with mangoes and ba-
nana.
Drying sweet potato
In many parts of Africa, sweet potatoes are
abundant during the harvesting season. How-
ever, they cannot be stored for a long time.
If they are dried, it is possible to keep them
and have them available off-season.
Sweet potatoes are either cut into small piec-
es or grated and dried in the solar dryer.
 74 40 Green World Actions

How to dry vegetables Using dried foods

Many vegetables are good for drying. They Dried foodstuff can be used by soaking and
should also be cooking or by pounding into flour.
cleaned well In Malawi, the organisation HEDON is pro-
and cut into moting nshima (sadza) out of mixed flour
small pieces. instead of only using maize. It is possible, for
To keep vi- example, to use 50% maize, 25% cassava and
tamins and a 25% sweet potato. This process increases
fresher col- food security.
our, it is good
to blanch veg- Information and photos from HEDON, Malawi,
etables before which also has more useful information on the
drying. website: www.hedon.info

Sweet Blanching
potatoes
in a plastic • Boil water with salt.
dryer • Put vegetables in a clean cloth or basket.
• Hard vegetables (such as cabbage) are
dipped in boiling water for 3 minutes.
• Softer vegetables (like spinach and mor-
inga leaves) are soaked for 2 minutes.
• Immediately after removing them, dip
in cold water.
• Spread on trays, dry until they are crispy
and pack as with fruits.

1. in boiling water 2. in cold water 3.drying

 30 - Food - Local Leafy Vegetables 75

30 • Local Leafy Amaranth spe-

Vegetables
Introduction
Local, leafy vegetables include many species
which grow in the wild, or are partially cul-
tivated. Others are species that are mainly
cultivated for their pods, fruits, roots or
tubers, but whose leaves are used as a
vegetable.
Most rural people in Zambia rely on tradi-
tional vegetables for their relish. In a rural
survey, it was found that between 50 and
95% of these households use traditional
vegetables. The diversity in traditional veg-
etables gives variety to the diet, and helps
improve food security. More than 175 dif-
ferent species have been documented as
local vegetables in Zambia.
The main species are amaranth (pigweed),
spider plant, bush okra, the leaves of sweet
potato and cassava and various cucumber
and melon-related plants.
Amaranth (Pigweed or African
spinach)
(Amaranthus spp.)
Botswana: Thepe
Namibia: Ekwakwa
Zambia: Bonko, Bondwe
Zimbabwe: Mova, Imbuya
Description
Amaranth is an erect, annual herb growing
up to 60 cm high. The dark-green leaves are
oval and 2-4 cm long. The leaves often have
a characteristic dark ring/spot. The flowers
are very small and placed close to the stem.
The underside of young plants are often pur-
ple-spotted, which makes the entire seedling
look red.
cies are found
wild or as
weeds in the
fields.
Cultivation
Seeds take
4-6 days to
emerge. Thin-
ning may be
done at about
2 weeks where Amaranth
needed. Once established, amaranth can - very
effectively smother most grass weeds, and common
is remarkably drought-tolerant. in Africa
So far, no major pests or diseases have been
observed of amaranth.
Seed collection is easy for this species, by
pulling simply upwards along the stem when
the seeds are mature.
Use
Harvesting of leaves and shoots starts about
a month after sowing - or 2-3 weeks after
the first rains - and ceases with flowering.
Picking the leaves stimulates growth.
Shoots and tender leaves are eaten in much
the same way as spinach, or together with
sorghum or maize meal to make porridge.
The cooked leaves may be eaten with milk.
Salt or oil can be added. Leaves may be
dried and stored for use in later periods.
They can also be used for smallstock feed.
Importance
The leaves are a source of protein and vita-
mins A and C. They are also rich in calcium,
potassium and iron.
Amaranth is an easy crop to propagate, as
it produces abundant seed.
It is a readily available vegetable in the wet
season, when other vegetables become
scarce.
 76 40 Green World Actions

Spider plant Weeding may be carried out in the early

growth stages to encourage vigorous
(Cleome gynandra) growth. This is recommended to reduce
Botswana: Lothue the bitterness of leaves, making them pal-
Namibia: Ombidi atable.
Zambia: Shungwa The picking of leaves and shoots starts in
Zimbabwe: Nyevhe, the sixth week after sowing. Picking the
Elude leaves also stimulates growth.
Certain pests, including beetles and Har-
Description lequin bugs, attack the crop. Pest control
The Spider plant includes dusting with ash.
(Cat’s Whiskers) is Seed collection is easy for this species; one
an annual herb which need only pick the mature pods and air-dry
can grow up to 60 them.
cm. The older leaves
are divided into five Use
leaflets (like a hand), Fresh leaves and tender shoots are boiled
and the plant is easy whole, or chopped and mixed with ground-
to identify by its nut flour and other ingredients to produce
white flowers. The a tasty relish.
Spider fruit is an 8-10 cm The leaves are preserved by blanching and
plant long pod. It splits open when mature, and then sun-drying.
leaves and scatters its seed. The leaves and flower buds are washed and
fruit Spider plant grows in many places, and oc- boiled in water with a little salt. A relatively
cur as weeds in arable lands or as a semi- long cooking time (2 hours) is normally used
cultivated species. to remove the bitter flavour. For drying,
The first leaves are ready to eat 4-6 weeks the boiled leaves are made into small balls
after the first rains. It is best when the flow- and placed out in the sun. To reconstitute
The Spi- ers have not yet developed, but when the the dried material, it is soaked in water and
der plant younger tops can still be used. then prepared in the usual manner.
flower
Cultivation Importance
Spider plant is a The leaves are rich in vitamins A and C
promising species and contain moderate levels of calcium
for cultivation. The and iron.
plant produces many
leaves, and is found Bush okra
in large numbers in
most fields and gar- (Corchorus spp.)
dens. Zambia: Delele
In pure stands, thin- Zimbabwe: Nyenje, Idelele, Derere
ning is done 4 weeks
after sowing where Bush okra is known by various names like
density is too high. long-fruited jute, vegetable jute, jute mallow
and jews mallow.
 30 - Food - Local Leafy Vegetables 77

Description African eggplant

The plant is an erect annual herb, with an
angular stem, branches without hairs, and (Solanum macrocar-
leaves with serrated edges. pon,
Harvesting starts when plants are 20-30 cm S. aethiopicum)
high. Leaf yield is increased by removal of Zambia: Impwa, Zhilo
the terminal shoot. Picking can continue for Zimbabwe: Musungu-
up to 3 months. sungu (umsobo)
The bush okra virtually disappears in the
cold season, having flowered and set seed. Description
This vegetable is particularly important, be- African eggplants are
cause it grows at an altitude at which rape a sturdy, herbaceous
and other leafy vegetables are scarce. crop. They may be an-
nual or perennial.
Cultivation
Bush okra is abundant in Zambia, mostly Cultivation
found in areas that receive less than 1000 Growers in rural vil-
mm of rainfall per year. Two different lages collect the seeds
species grow both wild and as weeds in from the previous
cultivated fields. crop. Seed extraction
The plant grows and is harvested in the involves fermenting
rainy season, though it is also common longitudinally cut ma- Bush
during summer months in irrigated fields. ture fruits to facilitate separation from okra- the
Villagers tend to protect bush okra plants the pulp. Fermentation is done by soaking leaves are
growing as weeds among cultivated crops. the fruit in water for 2-3 days. Seeds are nutritous
No major diseases or pests have yet been squeezed out by hand. The seeds are then
reported. dried in the sun and stored in gourds for
the following season’s planting. Seeds may
Use show dormancy a few weeks after removal.
Tender fresh shoots are traditionally mixed Under this system of cultivation, the seeds
with soda (NOT recommended since this are spread near homesteads in pure stands,
spoils the vitamins!) and salt, and cooked or in mixture with other traditional vegeta-
to produce a relish. Fresh leaves are sun- ble species.
dried, either whole or pounded to preserve Seedlings can also be raised in nursery beds
them for future use. As a common practice, and later transplanted. The crop is planted
whole plants are dried in the shade and the in pure stands near homesteads at a spac-
leaves removed later. ing of 100 x 30 cm. Chemical fertilizers and
manure are applied in much the same way
Importance as for the European eggplant.
Fresh leaves are a source of vitamins A
and C. This is a popular local vegetable in Use
rural areas. The viscosity of the preparation Only the unripe fruits are eaten. These are
makes it easy to mix with nshima/sadza chopped up and cooked with cooking oil
(thick maize porridge). or soda (NOT recommended since this
 78 40 Green World Actions

destroys the vitamins) and used as a relish. eaten. These are chopped up and cooked
They may also be prepared together with with cooking oil or soda (NOT recom-
other vegetables. The unripe fruits are some- mended since this destroys the vitamins)
times eaten and used as a relish. They may also be
raw. The fruits prepared together with other vegetables.
are preserved The unripe fruits are sometimes eaten raw.
for future use The fruits are preserved for future use by
by sun-drying. sun-drying.

Importance Importance
The fruits are Fresh leaves are a good source of protein,
a source of calcium and iron and are moderately rich in
small amounts vitamin C. They are sold in urban markets,
of starch and and provide a reliable source of nutrients
protei n and in the wet season.
Leaves substantial amounts of vitamin A and iron.
and fruit It is a profitable cash crop, as it is a popular Cassava
of the vegetable sold on streets and markets in
African urban areas. (Manihot esculenta)
eggplant. The leaves are more nutritious than the
More fruits and are sometimes eaten in the same Cultivation
details can way as spinach. Cassava grows well under most conditions.
be seen in Propagation is by stem cuttings at the start
the draw- Sweet potatoes of the rainy season. Plantings are often
ing below. mixed with other crops like finger millet,
(Ipomoea batatas) sorghum, maize or pumpkins.
Leaf harvesting starts once the plant is es-
Cultivation tablished and continues for several years.
The sweet potato is widely cultivated in
the rainy season, primarily for its tubers. Use
Propagation is by stem cuttings planted on It is mainly grown for its tubers, but its
mounds about 30 cm high. The leaves are leaves are also an important dietary re-
picked over the course of several months. source. It is in fact regarded as one of the
The leaves of wild species of sweet potato most convenient vegetable species. Leaves
are also used and tender shoots are chopped or ground
as vegetables. and boiled with groundnut flour, fats or fish
Sweet potato to make a relish.
has some seri- The young, fully expanded leaves may be
ous pests, such eaten cooked, and contain 11-39% protein
as sweet po- on a dry matter basis. Both the leaves and
tato weevil. roots contain cyanide, so the leaves must
be cooked for at least fifteen minutes and
Use the water thoroughly drained. This reduces
Only the un- the cyanide to a safe level.
ripe fruits are
 30 - Food - Local Leafy Vegetables 79

The leaves are sometimes preserved for high in protein and iron and moderately
future use by drying either in the shade, or high in vitamin C.
in direct sunlight.
Roselle
Importance
Cassava provides a full meal, as its tubers (Sorrel, Bissap) (Hi-
can be ground as flour and its leaves provide biscus sabdariffa)
a protein-rich relish. The leaves are also Namibia: Omutete
rich in vitamin A.
It is important for food security because Description
it can survive without water by shedding Roselle is an herb
its leaves and can quickly grow again when that grows to a
conditions improve. height of 50-100 cm.
The young leaves
Cucurbits are oval, while older
leaves are clearly
(Ipomoea batatas) three-lobed. The
flowers are bright
Cultivation yellow with a red-
Cucurbits, such as pumpkin, local cucumber brown centre. There
and melon, are grown mainly for their fruits When the plant grows older, the deep red are many
during the rainy season. and purple colours of the stem and the se- species
Farmers usually extract their own seeds pals (the outermost layer of the flower) domi- of pump-
from mature fruits after harvesting and nate and the entire plant appears purple. kins with
store them for future use. Seeds are sown nutritious
directly into the soil, 2 to 5 cm deep. Pump- Use leaves
kin leaves are picked only after the plant has The fleshy red sepals should be picked
started to bear fruit. This may continue for when about two centimetres long, and may
several months unless there are pest and be used in jellies, sauces, and herbal teas.
disease challenges, because the plants often Although the leaves and stems are bitter,
continue to produce new leaves long after they are high in vitamin A, and may be eaten
the wet season is over. raw, cooked or dried.
The leaves of the roselle are stripped from
Use the plant and cooked in the same manner
Leaves and young fruits are boiled and as spider plant leaves. The red petals are
mixed with various ingredients and used as sometimes peeled off the bolls and dried.
a relish. Leaves are commonly chopped or When pounded and covered with boiling
pounded, and mixed with groundnut flour water, these petals produce a red tea.
or cooking oil. Smoked or sun-dried leaves
can be stored for a long time. Cultivation
Roselle is relatively easy to grow. The
Importance plants establish well when grown from
Fresh pumpkin leaves are rich in calcium, large seeds. The plants are quite drought
protein, and vitamin C. Dried leaves are resistant and continue to grow long into
the dry season.
 80 40 Green World Actions
Cowpea
(Vigna unguiculata)
Botswana: Morogo
wa dinawa
Zimbabwe: Nyembe,
Indumba
Angola: Feijão-ma-
cunde
Cultivation
Cowpea is widely
cultivated, and its
leaves are a popu-
lar vegetable. A sig-
nificant amount of
leaves can be har-
Roselle vested from the plant without affecting its
- supplies seed production.
leaves The cultivars that are first erect and later
during the spread on the ground (semi-spreading) are
dry season suitable for use as a vegetable. The leaves
are picked 4 weeks after planting, and this
continues until the plants start to flower.
Both beans and edible greens can be eco-
nomically produced from the same field by
planting cowpeas in rows 40 cm apart, and
letting them grow until the leaves begin to
touch. Then every other row is harvested
for greens without lowering bean yield.
Cowpea is arguably the best plant for in-
tercropping with large grains like sorghum
and maize, because they shade the ground
and keep weeds down (after one initial
weeding), and they fix atmospheric nitrogen
thereby improving the growth of neighbour-
ing plants.
Two hectares of maize and cowpeas inter-
cropped will usually produce about 30%
more than one hectare of maize and one
hectare of cowpeas.
A moderate harvest of cowpea leaves and
shoots (about 2T/ha - 40 large sacks) at
flowering increases seed yield, while har-
vesting double that amount reduces seed
yield.
When grown strictly as a leaf vegetable, a
dense sowing of seedlings is harvested 3-6
weeks after planting by cutting at ground
level or by uprooting. Planting for leaf yield
should be at least twice as dense as a normal
planting for bean yield.
Cowpeas cut at 20 cm above the ground
will regrow quickly, but those cut at 5 cm
will regrow slowly, if at all.
Use
The leaves are dried for future use and
cooked in the same manner as spinach.
In Malawi, leaves are dried for 2-3 hours
then packed tightly into jars and boiled for
20 minutes. The softened leaves are then
spread in the sun and left for 2 -3 days; then
they are rolled into two kg balls and stored
for the dry season.
The intercropping of four rows of cowpeas
between rows of bananas and plantains has
shown a lot of promise. Since weeds need
to be removed from between banana rows
anyway, it makes sense to use that space
for a nitrogen-fixing crop.
This information was adapted from various
articles in “Traditional African Vegetables”.
Proceedings of IPGRI Workshop on Genetic
Resources of Traditional Vegetables in Africa:
Conservation and Use, 1997.
 30 - Food - Local Leafy Vegetables
A balanced diet
A healthy and balanced diet does not need to
be expensive. Much traditional and cheap food
is very healthy. The way the food is prepared
is equally important. A healthy diet includes
proteins for building up the body, carbohydrates
and fats for energy and vitamins and minerals
to keep the body strong.
• Good sources of proteins include: Soybeans,
cowpeas, beans, kapenta and other fish,
eggs, groundnuts, meat and milk.
• Good sources of vitamin/minerals include:
Various types of green leaves (rape, ama-
ranthus, leaves of pumpkin, cassava and
cowpea), carrots, fruits and pumpkins.
• Good sources of oil and fats include: All
sorts of nuts and seeds (for example
sesame, sunflower and groundnuts), fish.
Good cooking methods
• Do not overcook the food. Cook the vegeta-
bles until they are tender - leafy vegetables
only few minutes. The longer vegetables
cook, the more vitamins will be lost.
• Steam the vegetables. Use as little water
as possible.
• Stir fry or boil. Avoid deep frying.
• Never add soda or ash to the food as these
destroy the vitamins.
Healthy recipes:
1. Soybean or cowpea sausage
Ingredients:
• 2 cups of soybeans or cowpeas,
• 1 (green) onion,
• 1 cup of flour, 2 eggs, salt,
• garlic, curry or other spices - optional.
Method:
• Soak soybeans or cowpeas overnight.
• Boil them until tender.
• Pound in a mortar together with the (green)
onion.
81
• Mix with eggs and spices.
• Form sausages by adding flour.
• Fry in a pan with cooking oil.
• Serve with nshima and vegetables.
2. Soya porridge
Ingredients:
• 3 table spoons of cooked soy flour,
• 1 cup of mealy meal,
• 2-3 cups of water,
• salt and sugar.
Method:
• Add the soya flour to boiling water.
• Stir and let it boil.
• Add water to the mealy meal to make a
paste.
• Add the paste to the boiling soya.
• Stir all the time to prevent sticking.
• Let the porridge cook for 20 minutes.
• Add salt and sugar.
3. Vegetables with soya flour
Ingredients:
• 1 cup of cooked soy flour or one cup cooked
and pounded soybean mash,
• vegetables, tomatoes, onions, salt.
Method:
• Add water to the cooked soya flour or soya
mash to make a paste.
• Wash and cut the vegetables.
• Start to cook the vegetables and add the
soya when the vegetables start to boil.
• Let it cook for about 5 minutes until veg-
etables are tender.
• Add salt to taste and serve with nshima.
Use leaves from the moringa (drumstick tree)
see section 31. They can be pounded or cut
and used as any other green leaves.
Recipes and information from Development Aid
from People to People (DAPP) in Zambia Child
Aid and Hope Projects.
 82 40 Green World Actions

31 • Moringa The moringa pod is nutritious, but in the

beginning it is better to allow the fruits to
oleifera - a produce seeds, so they may be spread to
new areas. Or, if necessary, the seeds can
Multipurpose Tree be used to treat water.

Moringa oil
The Moringa oleifera (drum stick tree) has
already been mentioned in relation to Moringa oil has been used in skin prepa-
removing suspended matter from water rations and ointments since the time of
prior to the water being disinfected with ancient Egypt. The clear yellow oil has a
solar radiation. Moringa, however, has many pleasant taste, and has been compared, in
other uses. terms of quality, with olive oil. The seeds
contain 35 - 40% of oil- by- weight.
Very nutritious leaves Vegetable oil is an important part of a nu-
tritious diet. It is a concentrated source of
The leaves have a high level of protein (27%), food energy. Small amounts added to the
and they are also rich in vitamins A and C, diet of young children makes their food
calcium, iron, and phosphorous. A great varied and healthy. However, the majority
advantage is of cooking oils are expensive and cannot be
that the mor- produced without machinery.
inga leaves can
be harvested Oil extraction
during the dry
season, when The moringa seed is fairly soft, so the oil
there are few can be extracted manually using a screw
other vegeta- press. First, grind the seeds, add 10% water,
bles available. and then heat slowly over a low flame for
The small 10 to 15 minutes, taking care not to burn
leaves are the seeds. In testing, 2.6 litres of oil was
Prune the picked from the branches and may be used, produced from 11 kilograms of seed.
moringas like other vegetables, in food preparation. Traditional methods of extracting oil from
to a height It is good practice to prune the moringa plants may also be used, but often these are
of 1.5 m. trees to a height of 1.5 m (shoulder height slow and inefficient.
People of most adults) so that livestock cannot These methods involve extracting the
can now reach the leaves, but the family can harvest oil from the seeds by grinding them and
reach the them when needed. cooking them in water for 5 minutes. After
leaves, but Another advantage is that branches cut dur- cooking, the seeds are pressed in a cloth
goats can- ing pruning can be replanted. The ideal time and the liquid placed in a clean container.
not. to plant them is one month before the start This is then left for one day to allow the
of the rainy season. It is then necessary to oil to separate from the water. It may be
irrigate a little during the first month. necessary to filter off small pieces of seeds
In many places in northern Mozambique, the floating on the surface of the oil. If you do
branches are planted and used as stakes in not have access to a machine press, you can
grass fences, or as matting around houses. try this method.
 31 - Food - Moringa oleifera - a Multipurpose Tree 83

Once the oil is extracted, the remaining Intensive cultivation

presscake still contains all the same prop-
erties as the whole seeds with regards to Several places in the
water treatment and purification. As this world are now de-
presscake is 60% protein, it can be used as veloping intensive
a fertilizer, and studies are being done to cultivation of mor-
find out if it can also be used as fodder for inga. They are plant-
animals and poultry. ed 10 x 10 cm and
harvested first time
Conclusions after 60 days. From
then on harvest is
The planting of moringa trees by small- every 35 days.
holder farmers should be encouraged. It will The moringa shoots
improve both their health and income. This are used to produce
valuable tree is able to provide fresh veg- dried powder. They can also be made into Moringa
etables and raw materials for oil extraction. juice that is separated by fractioning into seedlings
Simple technology can be used which may the various valuable components (proteins, are ready
encourage small-scale oil milling enterprises omega 3 oil, chlorophyl, etc.) or the shoots to plant
to be established in rural areas. The poten- are used as the protein component of ani- after 2-3
tial of this tree and its various products has mal fodder, e.g. for pigs. months
not yet been fully recognised.
Information from Nikolaus Foidl,
Information from PASSO A PASSO No. 20, by nfoidl@desa.com.bo
G. Folkard and J. Sutherland TEAR FUND

USES OF MORINGA
Vegetable
Green pods, leaves, flowers and roasted seeds
Oil
Seeds contain 40 per cent of oil by weight
Use for cooking, soap manufacture, cosmetic base and in lamps
Water coagulant
Traditionally used for ‘household treatment’ in Sudan and Indonesia
Used with success in large-scale water treatment in Malawi
Other uses
All parts of the plant can be used in a variety of traditional medicines
Powdered seed is used in ointment to treat common bacterial skin infections
The leaves and seeds are useful as cattle fodder or as soil fertilizer
Grown as live fences and windbreaks, where the wood can also be a source of fuel
The main branches can be pruned so that other branches will grow
Agro-forestry uses as intercropping with other crops - the trees are good for adding nitro-
gen to the soil,due to the pods and leaves they produce (moringa is not a legume plant)
84 40 Green World Actions
32 • The Medicinal
Garden
Herbs give a good flavour to food. Many
herbs prevent various diseases, and some
can be curative. Cultivate and use a variety
of herbs such as:
• Aloe vera. For digestive and skin prob-
lems. Helps to relieve constipation. Use
as an extract. Boil and drink the concen-
trated water. Use in limited amounts.
Stop immediately if cramps or diarrhoea
occur.
• Basil. Helps to relieve nausea and aids
digestion. Has an antiseptic function
for mouth sores. Add to food to treat
nausea and digestive problems. Use for
gargling for mouth sores.
• Garlic. Prevents numerous illnesses.
Has antibacterial, antiviral and antifungal
properties, particularly in the stomach,
intestines, lungs and vagina. Helps diges-
tion and feeling of weakness. Also good
for thrush, throat infections, herpes and
diarrhoea. It is a good habit to eat two
cloves of garlic per day. Prepare as a tea
or energy drink, or use in food.
• Ginger. Improves digestion, prevents
constipation and gas, energizes, relieves
diarrhoea and stimulates appetite. Used
for treating common colds, flu and nau-
sea. Use either as a spice in meals or
prepare as a ginger tea.
• Lemongrass. Is nutritious and can re-
lieve both nausea and high blood pres-
sure. Has a calming effect, improves
digestion and alleviates stress. Use as a
tea or in food.
• Mint and peppermint. Has anti-in-
flammatory effect, helps digestion and
combats diarrhoea. Use as tea or gargle
for mouth sores. Chew mint leaves or
take as tea to aid digestion.
• Neem. Lowers fever. Cut a fresh twig,
remove the leaves and boil the bark in
water; drink as tea. The bark may also
be chewed.
• Parsley. Reduces nausea.
• Pennywort (gotu kula). Strengthens
the immune system, fights skin diseases
and joint pains. Take a teaspoon of dried
leaves in a cup of hot water daily.
• Piri-piri (Chili). Stimulates circulation
and appetite, helps fight infection, heals
ulcers and intestine inflammation. Add
a pinch to cooked or raw foods. For an
energizing drink, add to fruit juice or
water.
Growing herbs
• Aloe vera: Find a plant in the wild, and
plant it in your garden.
• Fennel, parsley: Sow the seeds - you
can leave the plant to grow and harvest
your own seeds the second year.
• Garlic: Plant a piece and it will grow.
Use well fertilised soil.
• Ginger: Plant a piece of ginger and it
will sprout (like potatoes).
• Lemongrass: Find a small piece of
lemongrass - many people grow it as
an ornamental plant.
• Pennywort (gotu kula), mint, oreg-
ano: Find some stems or cuttings and
plant them.
Dry the herbs: Sometimes you may have
an abundance of herbs. Remember to dry
them so you may use them later when you
don’t have a fresh supply (see section 29
on solar drying)
Good planting methods
Transplanting
Give the seed beds shade and water during
the production of stems for transplanting.
 32 - Food - The Medicial Garden 85

Take care that the roots do not bend when be produced

planting - the hole must be wider than the by putting two
plant. Press the soil down firmly around to four hand-
the plant because it will dry out if the soil fuls of chicken
is too loose. Plant in the late afternoon or manure in a
early morning. bucket of wa-
ter and leaving
Keep the soil covered it for two days.
Put dry grass or other plant material as Water the beds
mulch between the plants. This will keep on the ground
water from evaporating too much. It will with this mix-
save water, it will save labour and it will ture, but do A good
improve the growth of the plants. not pour it on the leaves as it may scorch garden
them. with trees,
Garden hygiene Another method is to fill a drum, or an fruits,
• Burn diseased material. open 20 litre container, with water. Place legumes,
• Sterilize soil to prevent diseases and a porous sack full of manure in the water leaf and
harmful soil nematodes (microscopic for one to two weeks. Use this mixture root crops
organisms which attack plant roots) by as a top or side dressing. You can use the
covering the soil with clear plastic for same manure twice and thereafter use the
two weeks (the sun’s heat destroys the manure to mix into soil as “normal” ferti-
germs), or by covering the soil with a 5 lizer. Because of having stayed in the water
cm layer of dry grass and burning it. it should spread fewer weed seeds.

Pest control Crop rota-

It is a good idea to plant various plants with tion
a strong odour to repel insects in the herb Rotate be-
garden. See more in section 34 on natural tween root
pesticides. crops (car-
If use is made of chemical fungicides and rots, sweet
pesticides, follow the instructions on the potatoes,
package to-the-letter and keep a detailed beetroots),
record of its use, date, time, quantity used, leafy crops
and who applied it. Do not eat the vegeta- (cabbage, am-
bles before the recommended withdrawal aranth), fruit
date. Pesticides normally take between 1 crops (tomatoes, green peppers) and leg- Trees
to 3 weeks after spraying before you can umes (green beans, cow peas, etc.). This benefit
eat the sprayed vegetables, while vegetables will reduce plant diseases and also improve plants,
sprayed with fungicides can be eaten shortly soil fertility. animals,
after spraying ( wash the vegetables well in and
clean, running cold water). Leafy vegetables people
Plant local leafy vegetables, because they
Liquid nitrogen fertilizer are usually nutritious, do not easily become
If plants turn yellow it may mean that they infected with diseases, and are easy to
require additional nitrogen. Nitrogen can propagate. See more in section 30.
 86 40 Green World Actions
Grow trees in the garden
If you have enough space, grow trees, such
as the lemon tree, in your garden. Lemon
trees do not need much water and are easy
to plant. They are beneficial for treating
numerous health problems.
Other fruit trees could include guava, paw-
paw (papaya), banana, orange and neem (for
use as both medicine and a pesticide).
When you water vegetables, trees benefit
from the water that filters down through
the soil. Choose a wide variety of fruit trees,
and you should have many fruits.
33 • The TCE
Immune Tea
TCE is a programme run by Humana
People to People organisations to combat
HIV/AIDS. TCE stands for Total Control
of the Epidem-
ic. Read more
about TCE on
www.humana.
org or get ma-
terial from a
local DAPP/
ADPP project
(Development
Aid from Peo-
ple to People).
Centella This part tells about a tea that you can grow
(Penny- and harvest yourself. The tea is beneficial
wort) is for everybody, whether HIV negative or
an ancient positive. Drinking this tea will strengthen
medicinal the immune system, boosting your energy
plant from and better able to resist diseases. It also
India helps fight joint problems like arthritis and
rheumatism, as well as many skin problems.
It is suitable for serving daily at school, in
the workplace, or at home.
It tastes delicious!
How to plant the trees
Dig a hole 1 m wide and 1 m deep and fill it
with manure (and, if available, chemical fer-
tilizer, e.g. “2:4:2 Starter”) mixed with soil.
Make a basin as big as the tree’s canopy.
A common mistake is to make the basin
too small. The feeding roots are not near
the trunk, but instead are under the leading
edge of the canopy. Cover the soil inside
the basin to minimise evaporation and to
provide nutrition.
How to prepare the TCE
immune tea
In the shade dry equal quantities of pep-
permint, lemongrass, and African worm-
wood, and three times this amount of
pennywort.
Dosage:
A flat tablespoon in a cup of boiled water
three times per day:
one in the morning
one at noon
one in the afternoon (at 4 pm)
The four herbs found in the tea:
Pennywort (Centella asiatica)
Pennywort is an indigenous plant found
in Zimbabwe and neighbouring Southern
African countries. It was first used as a
medicinal herb in China and India thousands
of years ago. It works as a medication for
leprosy, and aids in curing a number of skin
problems. It is a strong immune booster.
In France, for example, it is used against
psoriasis, eczema and fungal diseases.
How to grow
This plant is easy to grow. It thrives in par-
 33 - Food - The TCE Immune Tea 87

tial sun or shady places. It can be planted Preparation

in gardens or hanging baskets. Pick leaves
and dry them
Preparation at room tem-
Harvest the pennywort leaves and dry them perature and
on a fishnet, or on newspaper indoors for in shade for 4
four days. It must be dried in the shade, in days. On the
a place that is neither too hot nor too cold. fifth day, place
On the fifth day, dry the leaves in direct them in direct
sunlight for one hour. After this last drying, sunlight and
crush the leaves into small pieces. then crush
them to make
Use the herbal tea.
One teaspoon of crushed pennywort
is needed to make tea from the dried Use
leaves. Mix ¼ teaspoon of the dried, crushed leaves Mint is
Put it in a cup of boiling water, steep for five and one teaspoon of dried, crushed pen- easy to
minutes, strain through a sieve and drink. nywort in 1 cup of boiling water. grow, and
To make tea from fresh leaves, place ¼ cup has many
of fresh pennywort leaves in boiling water. Lemongrass uses
Brew for five minutes, strain and drink. The
tea should be taken in the morning, as it is Lemongrass is,
energizing. as the name
Pennywort may also be mixed with pep- suggests, a grass
permint since it does not have much flavour with a pleasant
of its own. lemon flavour
and aroma that
Peppermint can be used
together with
Peppermint has a pleasant flavour, and is peppermint and
used against influenza. It relaxes the body’s pennywort. It
smooth muscles and reduces inflammation. can also be used as a mosquito repellent. Lemon-
It relieves stomach aches, pain and spasms. Furthermore, it is a spice that is often used grass: Use
It has anti-flatulent properties, and stimu- to flavour meat and soy dishes. in the
lates bile and digestive juice secretion. It tea with
also helps stop nausea, relieves morning How to grow pennywort
sickness, and motion sickness. It is a fairly simple plant to grow. Pull the till- and pep-
ers (shoots) which sprout from the base of permint
How to grow the lemongrass tuft, and plant them directly
Plant the seedlings in fertile soil and water in rich soil. It develops quickly.
daily for the first 2-3 weeks. During the cold
season place extra soil or mulch around the Preparation and use
plants so new shoots do not sprout. Cut the long leaves with scissors and dry
them like pennywort. If they are very wet,
dry them for 6-8 days in the shade. Prepare
 88 40 Green World Actions

them in the same way are growing well, thereafter, water them
as pennywort. weekly. Trim back the plants in July/Au-
To make tea from gust and save the leaves. Cultivate it near
fresh leaves, cut the cabbages and fruit trees to repel cabbage
leaves into small piec- butterfly and fruit tree moth.
es and mix with fresh
leaves of pennywort Preparation
and peppermint. This The entire plant is used. Cut the plants in
makes a tasty tea. July and August, after it has flowered and
The leaves and straw dried. It is best to collect on a dry day after
may be cut into small the sun has dried off any dew. Tie the plants
pieces and cooked loosely in bunches so that air can circulate
with food. throughout and hang them on strings in mild
You can also crush the weather. The drying must be done in shade
African leaves of fresh lemongrass and apply them to avoid losing the aromatic properties of
worm- to the skin to prevent mosquito bites. the plant. After 4-6 days the leaves will
wood, You may also place the leaves in a room to be crisp, and the stalks will follow quickly.
good for repel mosquitoes. Crush them into powder and pack the herb
fighting in bottles, tins and jars.
ma- African wormwood (Artemisia
laria and Use
afra)
intestinal Wormwood tea is made from 2.5 grams of
worms African wormwood may be used to repel the herb. Soak the herb for 10-20 minutes
mosquitoes, to treat malaria, and destroy in ½ litre of boiling water. Drink a glass or
intestinal worms. It can also be laid between cup of the tea daily.
clothes to keep away moths and insects. The tea may be sweetened with sugar or
honey, as it does have a bitter taste. The
How to grow plant may be grown near houses to repel
The plant is drought tolerant, and propa- mosquitoes and flies.
gates easily. It requires To prevent sweaty feet, place leaves inside
full sun and severe your socks.
pruning in the cold
season to encour- Information from the TCE (Total control of the
age new growth in Epidemic) Medical Head Quarter, Zimbabwe,
spring. www.humana.org
Take 10 cm cuttings,
trim off excess leaves
at the base of the
stems, press into a
prepared tray or seed-
bed and keep moist
Young until established. Transplant into a larger
pep- pot, and plant out when robust and bushy.
permint Plant with a spacing of one metre between
plants plants. Water once or twice daily until they
 34 - Food - Biopesticides 89

34 • Biopesticides Inter-planting spe-

cific aromatic plants
between crops may
Introduction also keep away cer-
tain insect pests.
Insect pests are responsible for about 20-30
% of crop destruction. Ash
There are many safe, natural, and simple
methods of protecting plants. Material: Wood
In the long term, most industrial chemi- ash
cal pesticides increase pest and disease Target: Soft-bod-
problems rather than solving them. Many ied insects such as
of them are highly poisonous. They are aphids, caterpillars,
harmful to human health, and destroy the roundworms, grass-
environment. hoppers, termites, stalk borers, cutworm, Lantana -
and others, as well as mildew and fungal often with
This chapter explains various, simple and diseases. some flow-
readily available natural pesticides. There Method: Dust ash evenly on leaves to dehy- ers yellow,
are many more pesticides in addition to drate soft-bodied insects. Place ash thickly others
those discussed here. You should use the around the plants or trees to discourage red and
methods you find most appropriate in your soil pests such as cutworms. Do not let the purple
area. Remember to always spray selectively, ash touch the plant stem.
specifically to kill the pest which has become Mix ash into planting holes when planting
a problem. Do not try to kill beneficial trees.
insects. Where spraying equipment is not
available, the liquid may be applied to the Brushing
plants with soft-bristled brushes.
Target: Crawling and swarming insects.
Aromatic (strong-smelling) Method: Insects, larvae and eggs can be
plants swept from
leaves, branch-
Material: Leaves from any strong-smelling es, and trunks
plant, such as ginger, lantana (see photo), of fruit trees
tomato, garlic, pepper, or other spices. with a stiff
Target: Most insect pests. brush. Protect
Method: Dry the plant material and then the eyes (wear
grind into powder. You may mix two or glasses) from
more types of plant material. Mix the pow- falling insects.
der with boiling water and allow to cool be- Some insects
fore spraying. Recommended mixes range may seriously damage one’s eyes. Pests
from 20g to 500g per litre of water. result in
Frequency: Spray when you see insects Sweet basil (Ocimum basilicum) the loss of
on plants. Spray more often in the wet 20-30%
season, because rain washes the substance Target: Used as a mosquito repellent and of crops
off plants. against pests among stored grains.
 90 40 Green World Actions

Method: Crush the Dilute the mixture 5 times before spray-

plant and rub it on ing (2 litres of the mixture to 10 litres of
the skin. water). The remaining mixture should be
Put plants under the kept for the next spraying. Clay dust may
sleeping mat and be sprinkled into the bucket to reduce the
bed. odour.
Beat the plant against Spray the leaves to protect plants against
the interior walls of aphids, and to give resistance to bacterial
the house. and fungal diseases.
Leave the plant in It may also be sprayed on the soil surface to
the fire. protect the seedlings against cutworms.
To protect stored Fruits and vegetables that have been sprayed
grains, put a 3-5 cm must be washed thoroughly before eating.
Sweet layer in the bottom Paint tree trunks once a month with a mix-
basil. It of the grain bin. ture of clay dust and goat, cow, and chicken
smells manure to repel monkeys, antelopes, goats,
good, but Finger euphorbia and rabbits.
not to
pests Target: Mulch
Aphids, mosquitoes, red spider mites, ter-
mites, fungi, and insects in general. Material: Dead organic plant material, e.g.
Method: crop residue, seed-free weeds, leaves, etc.
To repel termites, place chopped leaves Target: Cutworms, grasshoppers, round-
in the planting holes, or place branches worms, snails, and termites.
around trees. Method: Cover the soil between plants
To make a general mix for spraying against with at least one cm (one finger) of thick,
insects, use 10 drops dry plant material. Mix this mulch with
of the milky juice leaves from aromatic plants such as ginger,
from the stem and marigolds, and other fragrant herbs. A
mix thoroughly in mulch of tobacco leaves, or tobacco dust,
one litre of water. will control snails, caterpillars, cutworms,
The mixture should and many other insects.
be a slightly milky
liquid. Soap solution
Warning: Harmful to
the eyes and skin. Material: Bar soap.
Target: Aphids, caterpillars, leaf miners,
CAREFUL, Manure mites, psyllids, white fly and other insect
IT’S POI- pests.
SONOUS Target: Animals, birds, grasshoppers, Method: Dissolve 5 cm (100g) of bar soap
aphids, fungi and bacteria. in 10 litres of water. Only spray when
Method: Put one shovel full of dry cow needed, as chemical soap can lower soil
manure into 10 litres of water. Stir once a fertility.
day for at least two weeks.
 34 - Food - Biopesticides 91

Onions To protect grain stores, place a 3-5 cm layer

in the bottom of the grain bin.
Target: Aphids, army worms, caterpillars,
leaf miner, mites, psyllids, white fly and Bead tree - Syringa (Melia
other insect pests. azederact)
Method: Soak 50 g of onion leaves/pieces
in one litre of water. Leave for one week Target: Used against
in a closed container. Spray the infested many insects and fun-
plants. gal infections.
Alternatively, to make the solution available Method: Boil a hand-
more quickly, you can boil the mixture for ful of leaves and ber-
about 30 minutes and leave it to cool before ries in five litres of
spraying onto plants. water for 10 minutes.
Cool, and then spray
Chili on the plants.
Mix leaves with crops
Material: Ripe chili pods and chili seeds. in the storage bin.
Target: Insects in general, fungi, bacteria
and reducing the incidence of viruses. Tobacco Tagetes
Method: Grind two handfuls of chilies, and minuta
soak in one litre of water for a day. Shake Target: Works against most insects, plant - marigold.
well, filter and add five litres of water (one rust and prevents a number of viruses. It has a
small bucket). Add a little soap, then spray. Method: Soak 1 kg of crushed leaves in 15 strong
Apply powder around the stems of plants litres of water for 24 hours, or boil for smell and
to repel ants, cutworms, snails and other 30 minutes. Add a little soap, filter, and small
soil pests. Plant in the garden amongst the spray. orange-
other crops to repel various insects. Crush into powder and scatter over soft- coloured
bodied pests such as slugs or snails. flowers.
Mexican marigold Dust on trees and crops to repel insects.

(Tagetes minuta - A strong-smelling weed Warning: Do

flower) not spray on
Target: Many insects, mildew and pests in tomatoes, po-
stored grains. tatoes or pep-
Method: Plant in vegetable gardens and or- pers as it will
chards to repel pests. Soak crushed parts of turn leaves
one mature plant in two litres of water for black. Use
24 hours, then filter and spray. A handful of the remain-
wood ash may also be added. The mixture ing leaves as
can be sprayed onto the soil around plants mulch to combat termites. Bead tree
to protect them from ants. (syringa) is
Leaves rubbed on the skin will repel mos- Sunhemp (Crotolaria) common
quitoes. in many
Mix fresh leaves into planting holes to repel Target: Insects in general, pests in stored parts of
termites. grain, roundworms and fungi. Africa
92 40 Green World Actions

Method: Rotate or interplant as a trap crop Pound the seeds and mix it with grains in
for roundworm and other pests. storage bins.

Beneficial organisms found in the garden and the fields. Do not kill them.
They are helpful to your garden, orchard, and field crops.
 35 - Food - Tephrosia - A Biopesticide and Much More 93

35 • Tephrosia - A Traditionally,
tephrosia has
Biopesticide and been used for
fishing in lakes
Much More and streams,
as it paralyses
fish (which then
Tephrosia vogelii is a plant that grows in the float to the sur-
wild in various parts of Southern Africa. face ). This hap-
In some places it is known as “fish bean”, pens because
because its toxic substances can be used to the leaves and
kill fish. However, its use for fishing is not roots contain compounds, such as roten- Tephrosia
recommended (read more below). one, which are poisonous to mammals, improves
Presently this plant is grown by smallholder fish, and some insects. The use of this plant the soil
farmers for its multiple benefits, especially for fishing is inadvisable, since it kills other and is
as a potent biopesticide and as a fallow crop beneficial organisms. efficient
to improve the fertility of the soil. against
Pest and disease control pests
Cultivation
Note: The use of protective clothing and
Seeds should be soaked in water for about gloves is recommended. Avoid contact
24 hours before they are planted, so the with the skin. In case of accidental contact,
germination rate will exceed 90%. immediately wash the affected area with
For maximum leaf coverage, it is recom- cold, clean running water for at least 15
mended to plant 0.5 by 0.5 metres. minutes.
Tephrosia is a perennial bush, which means
it grows for a number of years. In grain bins
The plant may be attacked by roundworms To control weevils and grain borers, collect
at the roots’ nodes. This roundworm fresh tephrosia leaves, sun-dry and crush
causes severe damage when it infects the them. Mix 100 g of crushed leaves into 100
roots of various plants (tobacco, tomato, kg of maize. The maize should be washed
beans, etc.). For this reason, only plants carefully prior to eating.
not attacked by roundworms, such as
maize, should be planted in rotation after For livestock health
tephrosia. To control ticks, lice, fleas and flies, dilute
Tephrosia is a leguminous plant that fixes soaked leaves and branches in water at a
atmospheric nitrogen and increases the ratio of 1:5 (one part of soaked leaves for
fertility of soil. It is an excellent plant for every five parts of water). Allow the mix-
use as a fallow crop (see section 21). ture to stew for 8-12 hours before using.
The vegetal material resulting from the Alternatively, you can boil the mixture for
prunings may be used as mulch. However, 30 minutes to free the toxins. This mixture
you must be careful, as excessive pruning should be used to bathe the livestock.
may kill the plant.
94 40 Green World Actions
Hygiene in the home
Use as a repellent for mosquitoes, cock-
roaches, and bedbugs.
To repel mosquitoes, cockroaches, and
bedbugs, the walls of the house - especially
the corners and the furniture legs - should
be beaten with fresh tephrosia branches.
Pest control in the fields
Tephrosia is a biopesticide that works on
contact, and is effective against aphids,
moths, beetles, ants, termites, and other
insect pests found on horticultural plants
and grains.
To make the insecticide, mix 20 grams of
fresh vegetable material with 100 ml of
water. Leave the mixture to soak for two
hours, keeping it out of direct light. Then,
filter the mixture and pour the remaining
solution into a sprayer. For best results,
add 5 ml of liquid soap to the solution so
that a larger area will be covered by the
treatment, and the pesticide will ‘stick’ to
the plants. This is a contact spray treatment,
and, as such, the product must be sprayed
on all surfaces of the plant.
The solution must be used immediately. If
used 24 hours after preparation, its effec-
tiveness is reduced to 60-70%.
To preserve its effectiveness, do not leave
the solution exposed to direct light.
For rat control
To prevent rodents (rice and mice) from
entering the farm or field, plant tephrosia
along the edges in intervals of one metre.
After 12 months, the enclosed area should
be rodent free.
Information provided by the Pelum Association
of Zambia - Participatory Ecological Land-Use
Management. www.pelum-zambia.net
 36 - Food - Living Fences 95

36 • Living Fences The species

should have the
qualities de-
Living fences are used to restrict domestic scribed above,
livestock to an enclosed area (e.g. a corral and should also
or boma where cattle stay overnight), or be ones that
to keep them out of a cultivated area, such animals do not
as a vegetable garden. eat. This is nec-
It is particularly important to protect the essary, because
garden crops during the dry season, when it is difficult to
food for animals is scarce. protect the en-
There are two types of fences using live tire fence. A good
plants: The farmer needs to choose what is suited example
to local conditions: of a living
Fences with live fencing posts • Fast-growing species mean more main- fence of
tenance work, pruning 2-4 times per Jatropha.
Live fencing posts are used as posts for the year. See also
fence, and are connected by a mesh made of • Or choose a slow-growing species that the photo
bamboo strips, tree branches, palm leaves requires less maintenance. in section
or grass. Wire may also be used. Regular pruning reduces the number of flow- 44.
The desired qualities for this type of tree ers and, therefore, fruit production. When
include: you have a living fence with the purpose of
1. Easy multiplication from cuttings, allow- also providing fruit, it is necessary to prune
ing the farmer to continue to propagate it in the beginning to ensure that the fence
them even when there is little plant is sealed well
material. at the ground
2. Ability to survive regular pruning (cut- level.
ting new branches from the top) It is worth pre-
3. Does not attract termites paring the soil
well before
Moringa is a very useful tree for this particu- planting the
lar purpose. It grows quickly and vertically, living fence.
and it can be pruned easily. At the same This involves
time, it provides nutritious leaves for both digging a strip sufficiently broad (50 cm) Plants for
people and animals. to add manure and, if desired, inorganic live fences
Gliricidia and other acacias are also good fertilizer that contains phosphate. must be
trees for use as live fencing posts. To seed directly on the defined site, seeds easy to
are usually placed in double lines. multiply
Living fences The planting needs to be done at the cor- from cut-
rect time (which is at the beginning of the tings
These fences not only reduce the loss of wet season), and the new plants need to be
crops to wild and domestic animals, but protected as much as possible, e.g. with a
also reduce evaporation and erosion as cover of thorny branches.
shelterbelts. The fastest way is to propagate moringa
and gliricidia by cuttings of at least 20 cm in
 96 40 Green World Actions

length. These production. This oil can initially be used

cuttings should for lamp oil or soap-making. Later, when
be planted be- the production is greater, it is possible to
fore the rainy use it as biofuel or to make biodiesel from
season. It is this oil.
then necessary Read more about jatropha as an energy-
to irrigate until producing plant in section 44.
the rains start.
If you plant Jatropha gossypiifolia
during the wet (Bellyache bush)
season, you in- A different species of jatropha exists which
Jatropha crease the risk of the cuttings being infected is used in various parts of Southern Africa.
is easy to by fungus. It grows more slowly and is not as tall as
propagate Giving the necessary attention to the prepa- the Jatropha curcas. However, it can still
from cut- ration of the land, and to planting, greatly be used to make closed fences if properly
tings. stimulates growth during the first year, pruned.
shortening the period of establishment even
if a slow-growing species was selected. Finger euphorbia
(Euphorbia tirucalli, pencilbush - Photo in
Species to use as live fences section 34 - biopesticides)
Slow-growing in semi-arid regions.
Agave (sisal) BE CAREFUL: the extremely toxic latex
With its big and pointy leaves agave makes (milk) exists in all parts of the plant. When
tightly sealed fences. It is easy to grow from coming into contact with skin, it produces
sprouts. It dies after 10-15 years. Normally lesions that may end up as water blisters.
new shoots will grow up. Otherwise, re-
planting is needed. “Espinhosa”
This plant is often used in Mozambique for
Jatropha living fences. The plants grow well especially
(Jatropha curcas) in sandy soil. It is easy to propagate from
Jatropha is often used for living fences cuttings. It has long thorns, and therefore
Agave in West Africa and also, for example, in animals avoid it.
grows Tanzania.
slowly It grows very fast, is easy to develop from Information from the Agromisa manual entitled
cuttings (as “Agrosilvicultura.” Many other publications can
well as from be found on their website: www.agromisa.org
seeds), and
animals do not
eat it. In addi-
tion to these
advantages,
after 2 years
it is possible
to collect the
seeds for oil
 37 - Food - Seed Priming 97

37 • Seed Priming to promote on-farm

seed priming as a
low-cost, low-risk
Every year mankind relies on the miraculous intervention.
transformation of seeds into plants and The results were re-
later, back into seeds again. About 60% of markable. Farmers
all food grain crops are grown anew from reported that primed
seed each year, producing more than 2.3 crops emerged fast-
billion tonnes of grain. er and grew more
Yet few people realise how fragile this vigorously. In many
transition from seed to plant can be. To cases crops also
grow successfully, seeds must germinate matured earlier and
and seedlings must emerge quickly and grew taller.
uniformly throughout the field, so that light, No cases were reported where priming was Primed
water and soil nutrients may be used with worse than not priming. mungbean
maximum efficiency. Overnight soaking has been shown to be at right
If crops emerge and grow slowly after ger- effective, although a superior response is - Pakistan
mination, they often become stunted and often obtained from soaking rice and maize
weak. Because such plants are easily dam- for 18 hours.
aged by pests and diseases, they produce Farmers can prime their own seed if they
less grain and straw. Giving crops a good know the safe limits. These safe limits are
start is, therefore, crucial. calculated for each variety so that germina-
In Southern Africa, unpredictable and er- tion will not continue once seeds are re-
ratic rainfall, poor soils and low quality seed moved from the water. Primed seed will only
all contribute to a situation where strong germinate if it takes up additional moisture
crop establishment is often the exception from the soil after sowing. It is important
rather than the norm. to note this distinction between priming
Once sown, seeds spend a great deal of and pregermi-
time absorbing water from the soil. If this nation - sowing
time is reduced, seed germination and pregerminated
subsequent emergence may be significantly seed under
speeded up. The easiest way to do this is dryland condi-
to soak seeds in water before sowing. This tions may be
is not a new idea. The technique has been disastrous.
used by farmers from Nepal to Botswana In most cases
for generations, but it has never been used seed can be
on a regular basis. primed over-
Researchers from the Centre for Arid Zone night and is simply surface-dried and sown Maize in
Studies (CAZS) have calculated safe limits - the same day. Apart from swelling slightly India with
the maximum length of time for which seeds and weighing more, primed seed can be primed
can be soaked and which, if exceeded, could treated in the same way as non-primed seeds at
lead to seed or seedling damage - for a wide seed. left
range of tropical and sub-tropical crops. By Occasionally, sowing may be unavoidably
reducing the recommended soaking time delayed, by heavy rain, for example. If
to less than the safe limit, they were able primed seed is surface-dried and kept dry,
98 40 Green World Actions

it can be stored for several days, then sown
as usual and still perform better than non-
primed seed.
The fast germination results in rapid devel-
opment of the seedlings’ root systems while
the soil conditions around the seed are still
good. With nothing to stop the seeds from
growing, the results are vigorous crops.
Steps in seed priming:
continue to take up water, they will
start to germinate and you might lose
the seeds!
4. Surface-dry them the next day, either by
drying them with cloth or placing them
in the sun.
5. Sow them the same day.
6. If you cannot sow because of bad
weather, the seeds can be stored in a
dry place for several days.

1. Soak the seeds when you are ready to

sow.
2. Soak maize for 12-18 hrs. Sorghum for
10 hours. Cowpea for 8 hours.
3. Make sure they are not soaked longer
than the recommended hours. If they
Photos and information are from the website
of the Centre for Arid Zone Studies (CAZS),
Bangor, UK:
www.bangor.ac.uk/priming

Results of seed priming for various crops

Crop Number of Countries Best improve-
hours soaked ment %
Wheat 12 India, Nepal, Pakistan 37 %
Barley 12 Pakistan 41 %
Rice (non irri- 12-18 India, Nigeria, Gambia, Cameroon 70 %
gated)
Maize 12-18 India, Nepal, Pakistan, Zimbabwe 22 %
Sorghum 10 Pakistan, Zimbabwe 31 %
Millet 10 Pakistan 56 %
Cowpea 8 Bangladesh, India, Nepal, Pakistan 50 %