Wild and semi-wild edible plants used by the communities of Acholi sub-region, Northern Uganda
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Date
2021
Journal Title
Journal ISSN
Volume Title
Publisher
Ethnobotany Research and Applications
Abstract
In the Acholi sub-region, consumption
of wild edible plants is still an integral part of the food
culture, particularly during times of food shortage.
However, much of indigenous traditional knowledge
has not been documented due to the history of
prolonged civil war in the area. We conducted an
ethnobotanical survey to document the wild plants
utilized by the Acholi communities in northern
Uganda.
Methods: Data was collected using semi-structured
questionnaires administered to 1,353 respondents
between November 2017 and February 2018 and 65
focus group discussions.
Results: Seventy-three edible plants from 39 families
were identified to species level while three species
were unidentified. Vitex doniana (0.72), Aframomum
alboviolaceum. (0.70), Saba comorensis (0.45),
Hibiscus surattensis (0.42), and Borassus aethiopum
(0.39) had the highest relative frequencies of citation.
Fabaceae (7) and Euphorbiaceae (5) had the highest
number of plant species. Most of the edible plants
were herbs (34%) and trees (31%). Fruits were the
major parts consumed (57%), followed by leaves
(37%). Only 34% of species were cooked before
eating, while 60% were eaten raw. Sixty-seven
percent of the species were harvested during the
rainy season and 22% in the dry season.
Conclusion: There is a rich diversity of wild edible
plants in the Acholi sub-region. Conservation and
domestication of these plants will provide a buffer
crop and enhance the food security of the locals in
the face of recurrent droughts and climate change.
Description
Keywords
Wild edible plants, Indigenous knowledge Ethnobotany, Food security
Citation
Nyero, A., Achaye, I., Odongo, W., Anywar, G., & Malinga, G. M. (2021). Wild and semi-wild edible plants used by the communities of Acholi sub-region, Northern Uganda. Ethnobotany Research and Applications, 21, 1-12. http://dx.doi.org/10.32859/era.21.16.1-12