Indigenous plant foods of Dikgale community in South Africa

Abstract

Indigenous plant materials are sources of staple food for many people in the world. In the African continent, many rural communities continue to collect, grow and consume rain-fed food crops. Consumption of these indigenous food sources could accomplish food security and improved nutrition to prevent hunger, poverty and malnutrition. The present study is an ethnobotanical study conducted to identify, collect and describe the indigenous plant foods used by the members of a rural community in Limpopo Province, South Africa, to fulfil dietary requirements. Ethnobotanical data were collected over 12 months through semi-structured interviews with men and women aged between 32 and 90 years. The study presents 27 indigenous pants belonging to 16 families. Of the species, six are sources of grain, twelve vegetables and eleven fruits. The grains and fewer vegetables and fruits are cultivated in the home gardens. Most of the vegetable and fruit crops grow in the wild, and their procurement is by collecting and gathering. Consumption of the plant materials is limited to their availability, which is determined by favourable environmental conditions. The study results could be used as part of the database for the indigenous resources and practices that the South African Government may consider towards the achievement of the United Nations Sustainable Development Goal 2 to end hunger, achieve food security and improve nutrition and sustainable agriculture. The study suggests that food security could be attained by drawing on the indigenous skills and practices used to fulfil household dietary requirements.