Assessment of status of indigenous vegetable among farmers in Kwara State, Nigeria

Abstract

Despite the significant of indigenous vegetables in human life and diet, many of these vegetables are becoming endangered. This study assessed the status of indigenous vegetables among vegetable farmers in Kwara state, Nigeria. The objectives of the study identified the vegetables the farmers knew, determine the status of vegetables by the farmers among others. Interviewer administered questionnaire was used to elicit information from 120 vegetable growers. The data used for the study was analysed using both descriptive and inferential statistics. The result of the study showed that majority of the respondents (65%) were female, 40.9 % were widow, 59.1% had non-formal education. Mean age of the farmers was 57 years and the mean household size was 6. The finding further shows that the farmers were familiar with many of the indigenous vegetables although the status of the vegetables varies from LR1nt (Okro, African spinach), LR1cd (water leaf, Jute leaves), R (Dandelion greens), NT (Parsley), DD (Lagos Spinach), Vu (Black nightshade), ExW (Afang Leaves) and Ex (Culantro). Moreover, the effects of endangered species of vegetables were scarcity in indigenous vegetables (x=4.95), reduction in medicinal resources (x=4.44) among others. Some of the causes identified for endangered vegetable include Habitat degradation (x=4.89), change in human diets (x=4.88), climate change (x=4.76) among other. The study concluded that some of the indigenous vegetables were rare, near threatened and vulnerable while a few others have gone into extinction. The study therefore recommended that agricultural stakeholders should educate, enlighten to train rural vegetable farmers on the importance of deliberate conservation so as to mitigate the high rate of endangered vegetable and ultimate extinction.