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Food
Habits of Tanzania
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Roots
& tubers
Indigenous root and
tubers are of future importance!
Source: Maundu, P., T.
Johns, et al. (2005). Traditional root
and tuber food plants of Sub Sahara Africa:
Diversity and potential for improving
health, nutrition and livelihood. Cape
to Cairo Safari Conference, Potchefstroom,
South Africa, North West University.
Today, African root and tuber species
are one of the most underutilized foods
in Sub Sahara Africa (SSA). Most of the
research and development work have given
priority on introduced food crops but
very little on indigenous varieties. The
main focus in Sub Sahara Africa was laid
on cereals and oil crops but roots and
tubers which can be important energy and
water sources for pastoral and hunter-gatherer
communities have been under less attention.
In SSA 0.5% of the indigenous flora
comprises of edible root and tubers which
belong mainly to the families:
- Asclepiadaceae
- Convolvulaceae
- Fabaceae
- Liliaceae
- Cyperaceae
- Dioscoreaceae
Most of thees species from the families
mentioned above are used in form of snacks
and obtained from the wild. Through the
demolition of habitats, root and tuber
consumption as well as the knowledge about
their use is threatening to diappear.
Recent introduced crops:
- Carrot (highly commercialized)
Introduced
crops
Cassava
- Cassava
- Sweet potatoes
- Taro (Colocasia esculenta)
- Tannia (Xanthosoma
sagittifolium)
Note: Sweet potato,
Irish potato, Malanga (cocoyam) and cassava
originated from South America
Indigenous species
Yam
Note: There is only one species hat has
received most attention and ranks among
the most studied. In Kenya, four species
are cultivated but around sixteen could
be grown.
Green leafy vegetables obtained from
root and tubers
The leaves of introduced roots and tubers,
as cassava, sweet potatoes, taro and tannia
are a main source of minerals and vitamins
for a lot of communities and the crops
itself contribute as major source of energy.
For the improvement in nutrition, livelihood
and health it is important to promote
the use of wild root and tuber species,
especially those used as green leafy vegetables
and their domestication, habitat protection
and species improvement. Furthermore,
their documentation is of great importance
considering that a lot of communities
consume root and tubers raw and sometimes
without knowing about their poisonous
properties.
Future:
The diversity of root and tubers
has to be promoted and kept because:
Loss of farmers varieties
- Narrow range of products
- Lack of local knowledge and cultivation
of "wild" species
- Loosing habitats
SWEET POTATO
The sweet potato was mostly preferred
to cassava from the nutritious point of
view because of its 40% higher protein
content, high amount of vitamin B-2 complex
and its high quantities in vitamin C.
The varieties which were grown in East
Africa before the 1940s did not contain
valuable amounts of carotene and the varieties
with appreciable amounts were examined
by the Tanganyika Agriculture Department
at that period of time.
Reference: Culwick, A.
T. and G. M. Culwick (1941). "Nutrition
and native agriculture in East Africa."
East African Medical Journal 6: 146-153.
CASSAVA
The cassava root could be grown mostly
everywhere, was a very high yielder and
also available during the dry season which
made it to an important famine reserve
crop for East Africa. Cassava played an
important role in nutrition. First as
a tuber and second it was used as a staple
food although the protein and mineral
content of the root was low and contained
only negligible amounts of digestible
fat. In its fresh state the cassava plant
was a good source of vitamin C, comparable
to the sweet potato.
References: Culwick, A.
T. and G. M. Culwick (1941). "Nutrition
and native agriculture in East Africa."
East African Medical Journal 6: 146-153.
Raymond, W. D., W. Jojo, et al. (1941).
"The nutritive value of some Tanganyika
foods." The East African Agricultural
Journal 6: 154.
Analysis of some important foodstuffs
of Usambara 1966-1967
Chemical analysis on:
- Fresh cassava tubers, peeled
- Dried cassava tubers, cleaned
- Comparison of nutrient contents referred
to dry matter
- Fresh bananas for cooking
- Dried bananas
- Comparison of nutrient contents referred
to dry matter
- Sweet potatoes
- Nutrient content of some foods commonly
used in Northeastern Tanzania
 PDF:
Nutrition
and health in Usambara 1966
Locally grown tubers and roots of
the Haya
Read more about the locally grown tubers
and roots available on Bukoba markets,
what their local names and their prices
were. What were they used for?
PDF:
East
African medical survey, Monograph No.
2_1954
Was cassava the staple food in the
Tabora region in 1967?
Read more about the food habits of the
Tabora region in the following article
and obtain information and data on:
Food consumed during:
1. Work
2. School
3. Travelling
4. Illness
5. Pregnancy and lactation
Topics on:
- Food taboos
- Child feeding practices
- Food storage and processing
- Agriculture
- Facilities in the house
- Staple foods and their use
- Food groups and their contribution to
nutrient intake
- Calorie and nutrient requirments, intakes
and sources
PDF:
Report
of a dietary survey in Tabora region_1967
The nutrition situation in the Pangani
Basin 1966-1967
This article provides you with information
and data on:
- Socio-economic findings (family size,
age and sex distribution, tribal distribution,
education, occupation, vegetable cultivation
and cash crop production, fertility rate,
marital status of head of household)
- Food pattern:
1. Prevalence of meal per area
2. Analysis of breakfasts, suppers and
main dishes
3. Glossary of common foods and dishes
PDF:
The
nutrition situation in the Pangani Basin.
Investigations into health and nutrition
in East Africa
Created
by Verena Raschke 2005
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