Researcher pushes for vegetable farming

KAGERA residents have been urged to focus on investing in vegetable production in order to tap various opportunities and provide healthy diets for all.

Ms Jojianas Kibura, Senior Researcher at the Tanzania Agricultural Research Institute (TARI-Maruku), in Bukoba DC said apart from providing economic opportunities, vegetables are mankind’s most affordable source of vitamins and minerals needed for good health.

She challenged youth to turn to vegetable farming, adding that the production of vegetables offer immense and promising economic benefits for reducing rural poverty and unemployment and is a key component of farm diversification strategies.

She explained that the consumption of vegetables must be nurtured through a combination of supply-side interventions and behavioral change communication, emphasising the importance of eating vegetables for good nutrition and health.

According to health statistics, man is required to eat at least 70 kilogrammes of vegetables annually to give the body the necessary nutrients like magnesium and vitamin A and get free from malnutrition.

Ms Kibura explained that vegetable consumption helps in  improving human  health, including reducing obesity and likelihood of food-related non communicable diseases (NCDs). Fruits and vegetables are among the few food groups that are beneficial for all.

They provide necessary vitamins and minerals throughout the lifecycle, like vitamin A, iron, zinc and folate. The nutrients are imperative during times of growth, such as the first 1,000 days of life from pregnancy to age two and adolescence, she said.

Major fruits and vegetables produced in the country include bananas, mangoes, oranges, pineapples, watermelons, beans, cabbage, tomatoes, onions, chillies and peppers.

International buyers are increasingly looking out for Tanzanian grown crops, especially avocados, raspberries, lime, and other high-value vegetables. This offers local farmers and exporters new markets and opportunities.