This document summarizes research on enhancing nutrition security and incomes through adding value to indigenous vegetables in East and Central Uganda. The research aims to identify indigenous vegetable varieties with prolonged shelf life, technologies and processes to extend shelf life, efficient delivery pathways to markets, and share information with stakeholders. A collection of 190 indigenous vegetables was assembled and evaluated morphologically and biochemically. Preliminary testing of storage methods like charcoal coolers and packaging materials showed potential to extend shelf life of vegetables like Nakati. Knowledge sharing activities included farmer training, websites, videos and outreach programs. The overall goal is to reduce post-harvest losses and improve nutrition through indigenous vegetables.

1. Enhancing nutrition security and incomes through
adding value to indigenous vegetables in East and
Central Uganda.
Elizabeth B. Kizito1
,John N. Jagwe2
, Michael Masanza1
, Apolo K. Kasharu3
, Agnes .
Namutebi1
, Deborah Rees4
1
Uganda Christian University
2
Farmgain Africa
3
Coalition for Health and Agricultural Income Networks in Uganda
4
Natural Resource Institute, University of Greenwich, United Kingdom

2. BACKGROUND
 High postharvest (PH) losses are encountered along most food
plant value chains in Uganda and low developing countries.
 The losses in vegetables, specifically Solanum aethiopicum (Shum
group) is the focus of this work.
 Currently high micronutrient deficiencies is a health burden
Uganda is tackling, specifically Vitamin A, iron and zinc
deficiencies (UBOS and MoH, 2012).
 PH losses are categorized as quality (nutritional value) and
quantity (volume), which all can translate to monetary loss.

3. A Typical journey from field to plate

4. Specific objectives
1. Better knowledge of indigenous vegetable varieties with
prolonged shelflife.
2. Increased knowledge about technologies and processes for
prolonging shelflife of indigenous vegetables.
3. Better understanding of efficient delivery pathways for
value added indigenous vegetables to end-markets.
4. Information on utilization of indigenous vegetables shared
with a wide array of stakeholders through appropriate
pathways.

5. Research Questions & Methods
Question 1: Are there some indigenous vegetable
landraces that have good post-harvest qualities?
Method:
-Through a farmer participatory method, establish
a collection & evaluate it
-Characterize the collection morphologically and
biochemically
-Develop on-farm varietal line purification systems
through participatory variety selection.

6. PROGRESS SO FAR
• A collection of about 190 different indigenous vegetables was
assembled at UCU (YR 1)
• Baseline reports on production, consumption and utilization of
AIV have been generated (YR 1)
• on-station and on-farm morphological evaluation of at least 10
vegetable accessions done in East & Central Uganda (YR 1,2)
•Nutritional characterization of the accessions of 6 different
variables done. (YR 1)
• 1 PhD and 3 masters students enrolled at MAK and UCU
respectively; over 120 farmers involved (YR 1)

7. Participatory germplasm collection & evaluation

8. Field & participatory evaluation of
collected germplasm

9. Biochemical Characterization
• Key biochemical parameters for the
PAEPARD vegetable project. Total Anti-
oxidant Capacity (TAC), Vitamin C, phytate,
Iron, Zinc, Carotenoids
• Results showed that S. aethiopicum generally
had a higher TAC potential compared to the
Amaranthus vegetable species.
• A manuscript is in final stages of preparation
• Molecular characterization currently ongoing

10. Research question 2
Which technologies, in Uganda, can be adopted
that prolong the shelf life of indigenous
vegetables, such as Nakati ?
Methods
1.Determine post harvest losses (qualitative –
micro-nutrient & quantitative) occurring along
value chains
2.Pilot test simulated post harvest (PH) handling
practices and storage methods that enhance the
shelf life
3.Conduct participatory evaluation of best PH
technologies

11. Charcoal cooler store being tested

12. Locally available packaging being tested
(a)
(b)
(c)
(a) Perforated
polyethylene material,
100 µm
(b) 0.5 cm pore size
meshed polyethylene
material
(c) 0.1 cm pore size
meshed (gauze)
polyethylene material

13. Preliminary results

14. Appearance of Nakati leafy vegetables subjected to three types of
storage conditions: ambient (25±5 °C; 75±5% RH), cold room (7.2 to 9.1
°C; 99.1 to 101.7 % RH) and charcoal cooler (20.9 to 21.9 °C; 98.5 to 99.1
% RH)

15. 15
Moisture and weight changes of Nakati leafy vegetable subjected
to three types of storages conditions

16. Result 4: Knowledge sharing
• 5 talk shows have been held so far
• The website is up: www.afrisol.org
• One Video documentary on indigenous vegetable
production
• Conducted Schools/community outreach programs
• Participated in 2 innovation platforms (CABI and
HumidTropics)
• Several posters and brochures on each of these
work packages has been produced

17. Knowledge sharing activities

18. Acknowledgements
Vegetable farmers in Wakiso, Jinja & Mbale
districts, Uganda
Respective Local Governments
CABI, HumidTropics, AVRDC, NARO, KCCA
Makerere University for research facilities
EU (PAEPARD/CRFII) through FARA for funding