Mongabay · Climate & nature

Uganda pastoralists turn to wild plants amid food shortages

Pastoralist communities in northern Uganda are increasingly relying on previously unused wild plants to cope with food shortages, according to new research. This highlights the potential of local plant diversity as a buffer against food crises.

A study in Uganda's Karamoja region found that pastoralists adopted 27 new wild plant species as food, primarily leafy vegetables, often through trial and error during periods of acute hunger. This demonstrates that local plant knowledge can be generated and adapted.

This reliance on wild edibles occurs amid worsening food crises in regions like the Sahel, where climate change and conflicts exacerbate food insecurity. Nigeria faces significant hunger challenges.

Edible wild plants offer nutritional benefits, including phytochemicals that promote well-being. Globally, about 1 billion people depend on these species for food security.

Despite their benefits, wild edible plants are often overlooked and considered 'food for the poor,' hindering their economic potential and conservation. Low awareness and loss of traditional knowledge are challenges.

Deforestation due to population growth also threatens these resources. Comprehensive databases on Nigeria's wild edible species are lacking.

The research noted women's central role in discovering and transmitting knowledge about edible wild plants, with some species named after women who identified their uses.

Experts question if communities with less botanical diversity are less resilient to food crises, as biodiversity loss means losing valuable genetic reservoirs.

AI-samenvatting op basis van de bron.