African Journal of Food, Agriculture, Nutrition and Development Rural Outreach Program ISSN: 1684-5358 EISSN: 1684-5374 Vol. 7, Num. 3, 2007

African Journal of Food Agriculture Nutrition and Development, Vol. 7, No. 3, 2007

FOREWORD

Ruth Oniang'o

KARI-NARL Complex, Westlands, Off Waiyaki Way, P.O. Box 29086-00625 Nairobi, KENYA, Tel: +254-20-4444030, Fax: +254-20-4444030, Email: oniango@iconnect.co.ke

Code Number: nd07017

Welcome once again to another issue of AJFAND, this time a special issue devoted to African Leafy Vegetables. We present Vol. I which will soon be followed next month June by Vol. II on the same subject. These are research papers that were presented at a Bioversity (formally International Plant Genetic Resource Institute, IPGRI) conference. The papers are based on research supported by Bioversity and have been peer reviewed in accordance with AJFAND guidelines and standards.

Remember, African Leafy Vegetables are good for human health. Remember too, orange, yellow fleshed foods are good for you. For many of our resource-poor consumers, these constitute the main source of Vitamin A in form of beta carotene. What is even more encouraging is that these are mostly a women’s crop and so the resource-poor women can affordably provide good nutrition to their families, while they generate some income for themselves. I believe you will enjoy both this issue and the sister one that will follow.

The articles in this issue are as follows:

• African Leafy Vegetables: Their Role in the World Health Organization’s Global Fruit and Vegetables Initiative.
  Smith Ifeyironwa Francisca.
• Seed Production and Support Systems for African Leafy Vegetables in Three Communities in Western Kenya.
  Abukutsa-Onyango Mary.
• The Diversity of Cultivated African Leafy Vegetables in Three Communities in Western Kenya.
  Abukutsa-Onyango Mary.
• Response of Slenderleaf (Crotalaria Brevidens Benth) to Inorganic Nitrogen Application. Abukutsa-Onyango Mary.
• Caractérisation des Accessions de 4 Espèces de Légumes-Feuilles Traditionnels (Hibiscus Sabdariffa L., Vigna Unguiculata (L.) WALP, Amaranthus L. Spp et Moringa Oleifera LAM) au Sénégal.
  Meïssa Diouf, Ndèye Bouba Mbengue and Aminata Kante.
• Sélection Participative de Nouveaux Cultivars de Quatre (4) Espèces de Légumes Feuilles (Hibiscus Sabdariffa L., Amaranthus L. Spp, Vigna Unguiculata (L.) WALP et Moringa Oleifera Lam) au Sénégal.
  Meïssa Diouf, Cheikh Lo, Mathieu Gueye and Ndèye Bouba Mbengue.
• Diversité et Gestion des Légumes de Cueillette au Togo.
  Komlan Batawila, S. Akpavi, K. Wala, M. Kanda 1 , R. Vodouhe and K. Akpagana.
• Valeur Nutritionnelle du Moringa Oleifera, Étude de la Biodisponibilité du fer, Effet de L'enrichissement de Divers Plats Traditionnels Sénégalais Avec la Poudre des Feuilles.
  Gning Rokhaya Diagne, Moussa Ndong, Salimata Wade, Nicole Dossou, and Amadou T. Guiro.
• Changes in Beta-Carotene, Ascorbic Acid and Sensory Properties in Fermented, Solar-Dried and Stored Cowpea Leaf Vegetables.
  Muchoki N. Charity, Jasper K. Imungi and Peter O. Lamuka.
• The Value of Leafy Vegetables: An Exploration of African Folklore.
  Onyango Bethwell Owuor and Ekisa Olaimer-Anyara.

My team and I wish you joyful reading.

With best wishes

Ruth Oniang'o
Editor-in-Chief

Prof. Ruth K. Oniang'o, PhD
Founder, Rural Outreach Program (ROP) www.ropkenya.org
AND Editor-in-Chief, African Journal of Food, Agriculture, Nutrition and Development (AJFAND)
Formerly: African Journal of Food and Nutritional Sciences (AJFNS)

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