Comparative analysis of production practices and utilization of pumpkins (Cucurbita pepo and Cucurbita maxima) by smallholder farmers in the Lake Victoria Basin, East Africa
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Date
2012-09-25
Authors
Ondigi, Alice N.
William, Toili W.
Afihini, S. M. Ijani
Stanley, O. Omuterema
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Abstract
Study was carried out in 2007 in four districts of Lake Victoria Basin: Busia, Gucha, Tarime and Jinja.
Rapid participatory appraisal approaches were used to assess the socio-economic, cultural, gender and
environmental aspects related to cultivation, storage and utilization of pumpkins by the native
communities living in the four selected districts. It was observed that majority of the farmers in the Lake
Victoria basin do not consider pumpkins as first priority food crop as much as it is not considered as a
viable commercial crop because it was ranked a fifth food crop in Jinja, Gucha and Tarime and sixth
food crop in Busia while 96.4, 98.1 and 59.5% of the farmers in Busia, Gucha and Tarime, respectively
reported that pumpkins was being planted for domestic consumption. Many of the pumpkin farmers in
the districts appreciated the crop’s nutritional and medicinal values since they said that pumpkins
provided vitamins, minerals, starch and proteins up to 57, 32, 39 and 5%, respectively. It was found that
pumpkins were mostly grown by low income members of the community who mainly utilize the leaves
as vegetables and occasionally consume the fruit when cooked. Pumpkins were stored in raw form by
carefully harvesting them with the stalk still attached. Management of the pumpkin stores was a
prerogative of the female in all the areas the research was carried out. Pumpkin farmers stored seeds
for future planting. Planting of pumpkins in the Lake Victoria basin was done during the long rains and
the crop performed well in loamy soils. In isolated cases the crop thrived in clay and sandy soils an
indicator of its resilience in various climatic conditions.
Description
African Journal of Environmental Science and Technology
Keywords
Pumpkin, ethnobotanic studies, nutritional value, medicinal value, gender, culture, environmental aspects