Promotion of indigenous vegetables for improved nutrition

As prices of basic commodities continue to increase, there is a pressing need to find alternative low-cost food sources. Indigenous vegetables (IVs) have tremendous potential to address food security because these are cheap and available, easy to grow, and require less production inputs. These are also loaded with vitamins and minerals, phytochemicals, and antioxidants which then ideal for promoting good nutrition. With these in mind, Eusebio et al (PCARRD) promoted the utilization of indigenous vegetables for improved nutrition of resource-poor households from 2004 to 2006 to address food security problem and loss of biodiversity. To attain the project's goal, three major activities are being conducted: conservation, regeneration, and documentation; participatory evaluation; and pilot school garden and in-country training. As a result of underutilization, local IV varieties have gradually disappeared over time, which significantly contributed to biodiversity loss. Through conservation, regeneration, and documentation, biodiversity of major IVs in the Philippines was safeguarded to support research and utilization. Seeds of 45 accessions of 'okra', amaranth, Ceylon spinach, jute, and butterfly pea were regenerated and transferred to the Asian Vegetable Research and Development Center (AVRDC0 for long-term conservation. Participatory evaluations cum field days were conducted separately at BPI-LBNCRDC, MMSU, and NVSU to enable stakeholders to select the IVs to be locally promoted. A total of 474 farmers, traders, and consumers, including school children took part in the activities. In Los Banos, the respondents chose tomato, okra, 'kangkong', jute, and luffa. In Batac, Ilocos Norte, farmers and consumers preferred the green amaranth over the purple types. In Bayombong, Nueva Viscaya, farmers and consumers choose tomato, Ceylon spinach, kangkong, jute, luffa, and green amaranth. Pilot school gardens were established as vehicles to promote awareness, enhance consumption, and improve nutrition of school children in Tranca and Paciano Rizal Elementary Schools in Bay, Laguna. In 2005, more than 200 kg of 17 kinds of IVs were harvested from the pilot gardens and distributed to grade 5 and 6 pupils for home consumption. The effect of IV consumption on the health of school children were also assessed through anthropometric and hemoglobin tests. Preliminary results showed that during the second assessment, 219 grades 5 and 6 pupils of the two elementary schools had become more familiar with IVs and hemoglobin counts had improved with the IV consumption. To promote utilization and sustain IV use, 154 parents, teachers, and students from the pilot schools in Bay, Laguna, and LGU members from various municipalities of Laguna, Mindoro, and Batangas were trained on home gardening schemes, seed production, and food preparation. The project needs to scale-up activities through linkages with the Department of Education, LGUs, and non-government agencies to promote IV production and utilization at the national level. The project made it possible for resource-poor households to have sufficient food to eat that is cheap, nutritious, available, and easy to grow. It also provided additional income for families who were interested in IV production as a source of livelihood.