Amaranthus good story, in challenging times!

A vegetable that is full of nutrients, grows in poor soil, needs little water, is affordable and available.

Amaranthus is an affordable, nutrients-dense green that adapts to harsh or difficult environments. It grows in poor soils and requires very little water while also resistant to pests and diseases. This amazing vegetable is packed with almost all the nutrients and bioactive compounds that our body

needs on a daily basis: rich in carbohydrates, high-quality proteins, fibres, vitamins, omega-3, omega-6 oils and minerals such as iron, zinc, calcium and manganese and is gluten-free.

A green introduced into the human diet by ancient civilisations of the Incas, Mayas and Aztecs is now

grown globally and locally, and set to provide much-needed nutritional value in these extremely challenging times.

Regina Kasongo, who lives in the Nelson Mandela Metro, wanted to share her love of this vegetable

with the communities of our Metro (and thereafter, extend this nationally)so, to this end, she is working with a farmer just outside Kareedow, Mr Rikus Du Preez, who grows and harvests this indigenous produce for her. She would, ideally, like to distribute it via a national supermarket chain,

whilst also providing a window of opportunity to two young Eastern Cape entrepreneurs, to distribute via their network as well - thus encouraging development and growth within the entrepreneurial space.

This green is known by many names depending on where one lives on the continent: imbuya (Botswana), imfino, morogo or thepe (South Africa), dodo (Uganda), lenga-lenga (Congo), bondwe

(Zambia), bonongwe, mowa (Zimbabwe) or efo tete (Nigeria). In India it is known as Indian-spinach.

The Spanish call it el amaranto while the French call it amarante. Introducing this “old-fashioned but

new” leafy green into our cropping system helps address gaps in nutrition while contributing to the

diversification of our daily staple diet and, without doubt, also helps preserve our cultural heritage.

For further information: Regina Kasongo on reginakasongo@hotmail.com

Article by: Michelle Brown

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