We can do better to improve food security
This week we will continue our discussion on food security in Botswana. One exotic fruit tree that can be grown successfully here is the date palm. This tall slender tree produces cylindrical- shaped fruits up to 5cm long. The fruits range from bright red to yellow depending on the variety. They are sweet, soft, fleshy and delicious. Although dates may be eaten fresh they may also be processed into paste, date syrup, juice and even bread. They may also be a substitute for honey. The seeds inside the fruits may be soaked and ground into livestock feed.
Most date producing countries occur in desert areas in North Africa and the Middle East such as Saudi Arabia, Iraq, Egypt, Libya, Tunisia, Algeria and Morocco. All these countries are in the northern hemisphere and the dates are harvested towards the end of the year from October onwards. Dates are very popular in most European countries and are a tasty treat at Christmas time. However, very few dates are grown in the southern hemisphere where dates would ripen in April and May. Therefore, we could sell our dates to countries in the northern hemisphere at a time when date producing countries there are not able to supply dates. The largest date plantation in the southern hemisphere occurs along the Orange river in the Northern Cape province of South Africa. Here summer temperatures are extreme and rainfall is very low averaging less than 100mm a year. Date palms can grow well in sandy or sandy loam soils which are common throughout the Kgalagadi region of Botswana.
An indigenous relative of the commercial date palm does grow naturally in Botswana in the Okavango Delta, especially along river channels – the wild date palm, tsaro. However, the sweet, orange oval- shaped fruits are smaller ( up to 1.5cm long) but still edible. Prickly pear, or motoroko, is indigenous to the Americas and was brought to southern Africa in the 1800s. It was originally intended to be used as a “living fence” to separate and protect property. However, now it is too often looked down upon in southern Africa since it is often a troublesome weed which has invaded large areas of bush. However, the plant produces delicious orange- coloured fruits that may be eaten as a vegetable and in salad, turned into jam, or used in ice cream. One farmer near Lobatse grows this plant commercially. I have sometimes seen small trays containing fruits selling for P10 in some supermarkets; so, this crop could be a money- spinner and it’s not difficult to grow.
In Botswana there are also some plants that produce tasty nutritious nuts. One such plant is the marama bean, morama/ thama. This plant occurs in sandy soils in the Kgalagadi and has long creeping stems which spread out from an enormous underground tuber. Plants produce pods that contain up to six large brown seeds up to 20mm in diameter. The beans are not eaten raw but are usually roasted. Another nut bearing plant is the manketti tree, mongongo. This large tree occurs mainly in the Ngamiland and Chobe areas. The oval- shaped brownish fruits, up to 4cm long, contain a single very hard nut. Nuts may be roasted or pounded to make a variety of dishes.
Food may also be obtained from roots, tubers and tubers which are rich in starch or carbohydrates [ a tuber is an enlarged, or swollen, underground root or stem which stores nutrients]. Rhizomes, or underground horizontal stem, may also be a valuable source of food. In Botswana most of these plants grow naturally in sandy soils throughout the Kgalagadi region where they have traditionally formed a major part of the diet of the Basarwa. The Fokea edulis species, leruswa/ leriso, produces huge cylindrical- shaped brownish tubers, more than 50cm long. They may be used to make jam. The wild cucumber, mmadigonyane/ kubjana, produces long carrot- shaped roots up to 50cm long. They are usually roasted before eating. Cassava is a major crop in many tropical areas of Africa and is grown for its starchy tubers. It is one of the most drought- tolerant crops and is also capable of growing in poor marginalised soils. It can also tolerate extremely high temperatures and is capable of producing high yields. In Africa, cassava typically yields twice as much starch per hectare as maize on average. It is a gluten- free crop and so offers a healthier alternative to wheat and maize. Also, it is an easily cultivated, low input crop. Furthermore, cassava starch is said to promote gut health and stabilises blood sugar in the body. The tubers are tapered and up to 30cm long. The roots can be cooked and eaten as a vegetable like potato. It can also be made into a flour that can be used to make cakes, noodles, bread and biscuits. However, the crop is not grown in Botswana and it clearly has much potential as a staple crop here. The leaves are also rich in protein and can be eaten like spinach.
Sweet potato is also grown for its tubers and is a rich source of carbohydrate. Unlike crops such as maize, it can tolerate drought conditions and can grow successfully in poor sandy and sandy loam soils with little fertiliser. They are relatively easy to plant since they are sown by using cuttings rather than seeds. Since the crop has a creeping habit of growth, the plants shade out weeds and so little weeding is required. Also, pesticides are rarely needed. Major African producers include Tanzania and Malawi. Sweet potatoes may be boiled or roasted and the leaves may also be eaten like spinach.
Lets turn our attention to drinks. Now most of us love a cup of tea or coffee. But we import the tea leaves and coffee beans from elsewhere! But we could grow our own beverages right here in Botswana! Although we do not have the climate conditions that are suitable for growing tea and coffee [ tea and coffee plants prefer wetter cooler conditions such as occur in the Kenyan Highlands], there are other plants that can be used to provide a beverage. Hibiscus is a flowering ornamental garden shrub that produces large red flowers that can be dried and then used to make karkade tea. The tea can be drunk hot or cold and has a cranberry- like flavour, and it is widely consumed in both Egypt and Sudan. Hibiscus tea is said to have many health benefits; for example, in boosting the immune system, lowering blood pressure of people who suffer from high blood pressure, and combating cancer, diabetes and viral infections. Cardamon, cinnamon and ginger can also be used to make masala tea. Both hibiscus and masala tea are widely sold throughout East Africa.
And right here in Botswana we do have indigenous plants whose leaves can produce a refreshing cup of tea!
Examples include mosukudu and mosukujane which are small aromatic shrubs that produce a medicinal tea that can be used to treat coughs, colds, fevers and bronchitis. And they contain no caffeine and so are more healthy than some of the teas that we see on supermarket shelves. Furthermore, like most indigenous plants, the plants suffer little from pests or diseases and they are easy to grow.
At present, Batswana only grow three main grain crops – maize, sorghum and millet. However, perhaps it is now time to consider other grain crops that can be grown successfully here. One such crop is quinoa which is indigenous in Peru and Bolivia in the Andes of South America. It grows up to two metres tall and the flower head, like sorghum, occurs at the top of the stem. The grains, up to 2mm in diameter, range in colour from white to red or black, depending on the variety. Unlike some grain crops, quinoa, besides being rich in carbohydrates, also is a rich source of protein. It is also gluten- free. The crop can be grown in areas where the rainfall is as low as 300mm and it can also tolerate high temperatures and light winter frosts with temperatures as low as - 40C. For these reasons, it may be a suitable crop for much of Botswana. Today, quinoa is grown in more than 70 countries, including Kenya. And even in Botswana, it is now appearing on some hotel and restaurant menus.