Page 29 - Barefoot guide

LET’S GROW INDIGENOUS

“Some foods in this rainbow bowl are
indigenous,” Nelima added. “Indigenous
vegetables, herbs and spices, and wild fruits
grow very fast, and have high nutrients such
as vitamins A, C, and E, selenium and other
minerals. These foods help us fight many
diseases, including COVID-19. They grow well,
as they’re adapted to our soils and weather.”
Nelima showed the women a poster
showing a variety of crops.
The older women remembered that their
grandmothers and mothers had grown
many of these crops.

“But few people grow these crops
nowadays,” Yohanna said. “Even Joyce
doesn’t grow all these. Where could we
get the seeds?”
“Many of these are ‘weeds’ and will
self-seed, like amaranth, blackjack, spider
plant … If you look around, you’ll find
them in many places,” Nelima replied.
“And many of the other crops are being
grown in other districts. Communities
are building seed exchange systems
to share these seeds. We can invite
a community leader to come to our
village to tell us how they started,
what they’re growing and why.”

Good crops to grow in your
food garden
Amaranths, African nightshades, jute mallow, African spinach (Basella alba), moringa, kales, onions,
tomatoes, cucumbers, cassava, sweet potatoes, ginger, garlic, arrow roots, yams, carrots, goose berries,
strawberries, pawpaw, guava, ground nuts.
These grow quickly and are rich sources of nutrients. An avocado and loquats are slower to grow, but
they are a good investment, bringing fruits with excellent nutrition.

CHAPTER 3: FINDING FOOD FOR STRONG BODIES 21