21 Proposed Research, Science, Technology and Innovation …
505
capital, robust credit schemes, and building wealth and industrial development in
smallholder farming areas are challenges that need to be explored to address the
demographic shifts of migration of young labor from African rural areas.
According to Fisher and IAEA (2018), some Kenyan farmers are increasing crop
yields and enhancing the fertility and quality of the soil in an environmentally friendly
and cost-effective way through an integrated cropping-livestock production system
that recycles the nutrients present in both animal manure and crop residues. This
reduces the need for synthetic fertilizers that release large quantities of greenhouse
gases and thereby contribute to climate change. Can the Kenyan model be upscaled
to all African smallholder farms and even pastoral environments? A critical piece
of this challenge is the integration of nomadic pastoralists into a cropping-livestock
production system.
Introduction of exotic crops to Africa has displaced many indigenous African
crops (Odeigah and Osanyinpeju 1998). Agricultural research, particularly by scientists in developed countries, has traditionally focused on staple foods, while little
attention has been given to underutilized and neglected crops, such as cereals,
legumes, and fruit tree species indigenous to African arid and semi-arid agroclimatic conditions (Heller et al. 1997). Africa has a number of forgotten plants (trees
and grasses) that can be used for food and stock feed production. Commercial agriculture, particularly of exotic crops that require large capital investment of irrigation,
agrochemicals, and technical training, is largely responsible for directing attention
and resources away from forgotten plants and their past and potential contribution to generating value and reducing food insecurity. Attention must be given to
the commercialization of organic production, agro-processing, and marketing of
forgotten crops. Successful uptake in Africa may lead to profitable introduction to
global markets.
Forgotten cereals include Oryza glaberrima Steud (African rice), Sorghum bicolor
(sorghum), Eleusine coracana (finger millet), and Pennisetum glaucum (pearl millet).
Sorghum and finger millet are drought-tolerant but are currently produced and
marketed in few African countries at low profit margins and with few commercial
applications (like making beverages), if compared to maize and wheat. African rice
has unique traits that make it suitable for low-input agriculture, such as a tolerance
to salt, drought, flooding, pest resistance, weed competitiveness, and the ability to
grow on infertile, acidic soils. African rice also matures faster than Asian varieties
and its wide leaves shut out weeds (Harlan 1995; Linares 2002; Sarla and Swamy
2005). Namibia has successfully commercialized the production of an indigenous
African long grain rice variety, cultivated mainly in the Zambezi valley.
Indigenous legume crops that may be candidates for commercial production are
cowpeas and Vigna subterranean (bambara groundnuts). Biochemical analysis of
the composition of carbohydrate, fat, and protein reveals that bambara groundnut
produces an almost complete diet, owing, in addition to its nutritional composition, to its functional properties and antioxidant potential. Bambara groundnut
is composed of 15–25% protein, and it has been used in high-protein foods like
porridge for children and household breads, biscuits, and soups in sub-Saharan
Africa. Its organic vegetable milk has been rated higher in acceptability than milk
505
capital, robust credit schemes, and building wealth and industrial development in
smallholder farming areas are challenges that need to be explored to address the
demographic shifts of migration of young labor from African rural areas.
According to Fisher and IAEA (2018), some Kenyan farmers are increasing crop
yields and enhancing the fertility and quality of the soil in an environmentally friendly
and cost-effective way through an integrated cropping-livestock production system
that recycles the nutrients present in both animal manure and crop residues. This
reduces the need for synthetic fertilizers that release large quantities of greenhouse
gases and thereby contribute to climate change. Can the Kenyan model be upscaled
to all African smallholder farms and even pastoral environments? A critical piece
of this challenge is the integration of nomadic pastoralists into a cropping-livestock
production system.
Introduction of exotic crops to Africa has displaced many indigenous African
crops (Odeigah and Osanyinpeju 1998). Agricultural research, particularly by scientists in developed countries, has traditionally focused on staple foods, while little
attention has been given to underutilized and neglected crops, such as cereals,
legumes, and fruit tree species indigenous to African arid and semi-arid agroclimatic conditions (Heller et al. 1997). Africa has a number of forgotten plants (trees
and grasses) that can be used for food and stock feed production. Commercial agriculture, particularly of exotic crops that require large capital investment of irrigation,
agrochemicals, and technical training, is largely responsible for directing attention
and resources away from forgotten plants and their past and potential contribution to generating value and reducing food insecurity. Attention must be given to
the commercialization of organic production, agro-processing, and marketing of
forgotten crops. Successful uptake in Africa may lead to profitable introduction to
global markets.
Forgotten cereals include Oryza glaberrima Steud (African rice), Sorghum bicolor
(sorghum), Eleusine coracana (finger millet), and Pennisetum glaucum (pearl millet).
Sorghum and finger millet are drought-tolerant but are currently produced and
marketed in few African countries at low profit margins and with few commercial
applications (like making beverages), if compared to maize and wheat. African rice
has unique traits that make it suitable for low-input agriculture, such as a tolerance
to salt, drought, flooding, pest resistance, weed competitiveness, and the ability to
grow on infertile, acidic soils. African rice also matures faster than Asian varieties
and its wide leaves shut out weeds (Harlan 1995; Linares 2002; Sarla and Swamy
2005). Namibia has successfully commercialized the production of an indigenous
African long grain rice variety, cultivated mainly in the Zambezi valley.
Indigenous legume crops that may be candidates for commercial production are
cowpeas and Vigna subterranean (bambara groundnuts). Biochemical analysis of
the composition of carbohydrate, fat, and protein reveals that bambara groundnut
produces an almost complete diet, owing, in addition to its nutritional composition, to its functional properties and antioxidant potential. Bambara groundnut
is composed of 15–25% protein, and it has been used in high-protein foods like
porridge for children and household breads, biscuits, and soups in sub-Saharan
Africa. Its organic vegetable milk has been rated higher in acceptability than milk