- By Victor Wasike & Aurillia Manjella
- Posted 07/19/2017
The Perception of Local Foods in Busia County
In Busia County, Kenya, children are growing up with the belief that traditional vegetables are inferior to processed, imported foods. Because these processed, imported foods are more expensive than local vegetables, people in Busia County have come to see local crops as food for the poor. Many mothers, as a result, sell their vegetables in order to buy mandazis (fried coconut buns) sodas, and chapatti (an unleavened flat bread,) under the impression that these foods are more healthful than traditional vegetables. Over time, people in Busia County have been consuming fewer and fewer vegetables.A man by the name of William explains the effects of the stigmatization of local vegetables, saying “I cannot buy vegetables to take home to my family. People will talk ill of me from the sight of carrying vegetables.” As William says, even in his family, local vegetables are considered something that nobody should buy.
Because of their nutritious properties, in Busia County, local healers often prescribe vegetables to sick people. For this reason, people are afraid that if they are seen buying vegetables in the market, they will be mistaken as infected with HIV.
The Bioversity for Food and Nutrition (BFN) Project has been working in Busia County in order to raise awareness regarding the importance of local crops. The hope is that people will begin to change their attitudes towards local crops and begin to consume them with more frequency.
Anastancia Muleka of Busia County used to eat local vegetables only when the mother in law prepared them for her and her family. She believed that local vegetables were bitter, hard to prepare, and for the old.
When Anastancia’s mother-in-law died in 2010, Anastancia stopped eating local vegetables entirely. She never used to consume nor plant the vegetables. When Anastancia met members of BFN, she become convinced of the importance of local vegetables. BFN showed her how to plant and prepare local vegetables, and provided her with information regarding the nutritional value of various traditional crops. Anastancia began growing local vegetables and found that by doing so, she was able to save money. Her four children began to like the vegetables, and it was not long before local crops became a staple of her family’s diet. Anastancia is now proud to be a farmer of traditional vegetables. “Frequent consumption of local vegetables has helped my skin to be smooth,” she said. “I don’t get sores any more. When I have a wound it heals faster [than it did before.] Thanks to BFN and SINGI (the Sustainable Income Generating Investment Group) for changing my lifestyle,” said Anastancia.