Network for building resilience and sustainability among small holder vegetable farmers in East Africa

The availability of locally adapted and bred vegetables that are reasonably priced and are preferred by consumers can contribute to increased food security and reduce poverty of smallholder farmers sub-Saharan Africa.

If farmers who know the landraces of vegetables meet with scientists to address issues of field-based plant production, then a strong network of knowledge and experience can support the development of indigenous vegetable crops.

Initial focus for our network is on questions of breeding and ecological management of pests of African eggplant, Solanum aethiopicum, in Uganda.

The longer-run vision is to further develop the hub to serve East Africa with field experimentation that is integrated with training in theoretical aspects of breeding, production, and ecologically-based management for indigenous vegetables.Field experimental gardens at Ugandan Christian University are proposed to serve as a meeting centre for smallholder farmers, academics, students and advisory services.

The aim is to identify and develop opportunities for increasing yields and nutritional content of African indigenous vegetables under threats of pests, diseases and unpredictable climate.

Research capacity development through field trials designed with farmers, exposure visits, student training, researcher exchanges, knowledge transfer, stakeholder engagement and joint resource mobilisation are pillars for the proposed sustainable indigenous vegetable learning hub