SURVEY OF INDIGENOUS VEGETABLES USED BY RESIDENTS OF UNIVERSITY OF BENIN

ABSTRACT

Micronutrient malnutrition affects more than half of the world population, particularly in developing countries. In sub Saharan Africa, Indigenous vegetables are important dietary components which are used to prepare sauces and relish that accompany carbohydrate staples like pap in South Africa, sadza in Zimbabwe, fufu in West Africa and ugali in east African countries. Indigenous vegetables have long been part of traditional diets in communities that include it in their dishes, yet many of these crops are underutilized and their nutritional value is unknown. Data on indigenous vegetables utilized by Residents of University of Benin, Benin City, Ugbowo Campus were obtained during survey. 50 of the 50 questionnaire administered were returned. Data were obtained mainly from primary sources using structured questionnaires and interview schedules. The response to the semi-structured questionnaires and interview sections were documented and analyzed quantitatively using descriptive statistics using SPSS version 20 and Microsoft Excel Statistical Package. A total of 50 persons comprising of both male (32%) and female (68%) from different ethnic groups but mostly Bini (frequency 24 and 48 %). A total of 22 indigenous vegetables spread out across 17 families were documented. Among the number documented, six of them were wild, nine cultivated and seven both wild and cultivated. This study has revealed that indigenous vegetables are been cultivated for the purpose of proximity. Information on the parts consumed documented and it shows that most of the indigenous vegetable is in the class of leafy vegetable.