TwentyforGood Agri-Innovations with Indigenous Fruits and Vegetables to Create Current and Future Jobs

Case of Marondera University of Agricultural Sciences and Technology’s African Indigenous Vegetables (AIV) Hub

Africa’s rich biodiversity extends far beyond its iconic wildlife and landscapes; it includes a vast array of African indigenous fruits and vegetables (AIFV) that have sustained communities for centuries. These foods are not only crucial for nutrition and food security but also hold immense economic potential. By exploring innovations in agriculture, specifically AIFV production and processing, Digital Frontiers’ TwentyforGood aims to unlock new pathways of job creation across the continent.

Africa boasts a staggering diversity of indigenous fruits and vegetables, many of which are underutilised despite their nutritional benefits and adaptability to local climates. Recent studies (Kehlenbeck et al., 2013; Macheka et al., 2022; Issa-Zacharia et al., 2024) highlight that over 2,000 indigenous edible plants exist across the continent (Akinola et al., 2020), yet only a fraction are commercially cultivated and processed for wider consumption. Africa produces a significant portion of the world’s indigenous fruits and vegetables, yet a large portion remains underutilised.

In Kenya, for instance, African Indigenous Vegetables (AIVs) generate USD 56 million annually from over 45,099 hectares of land, as reported by Nambafu, Bett and Sibiko (2024). These species include black nightshade, spider plants, vegetable amaranth, cowpea, pumpkin leaves, and jute mallow. This example from Kenya illustrates the potential for economic gains and job-creating opportunities that can be replicated across other African countries. Local markets for AIFV are growing due to increasing awareness of their nutritional benefits. However, the export potential remains largely untapped, presenting a substantial opportunity for economic growth.

Research and Commercialisation of African Indigenous Fruits and Vegetables at Marondera University of Agricultural Sciences and Technology

Marondera University of Agricultural Sciences and Technology (MUAST) embarked on an AIV Project in 2020. The project was funded by the Government of Zimbabwe. The project is aimed at sustainable production, value addition, industrialisation and commercialisation of indigenous vegetables as food and feed, which contributes to food and nutrition security in rural and urban areas in Zimbabwe. The research component of the project is focused on:

• plant breeding and seed systems;
• agronomic practices and plant nutrition for sustainable production of AIVs in Zimbabwe;
• crop protection;
• value addition and development of AIV-based food and feed, and
• agribusiness entrepreneurship.

To strengthen the research, development, and commercialisation of the AIV, MUAST established an African Indigenous Vegetables Institute (AIVI) in 2022. In 2023, the AIVI registered a seed company, Marondera University Seed Company, which successfully registered and commercialised certified nyevhe (Cleome gynandra) and mowa (amaranth) seed. The seed company is wholly owned by MUAST. The AIVI is embarking on an out-grower scheme, contracting smallholder farmers to grow nyevhe and mowa for seed purposes. This initiative intends to increase the volume of seed produced every year, enhancing the availability and commercial viability of these valuable crops.

The Institute is currently developing improved varieties (e.g., improved sensory attributes) of AIV and working on several value-added products for commercialisation. Besides seed, AIVI in partnership with the Department of Food Processing Technology is producing AIV-based value-added products such as gluten free flour.

In addition to the AIV, MUAST has successfully produced and commercialised indigenous fruits-based value-added products such as tamarind fruit drink, paste, and jam. The overall vision is to create a sustainable value chain for AIFV, enhancing rural livelihoods by improving production, market access, and job creation along this value chain. The AIFV value chain has great potential to create jobs along the various stages of the chain, i.e., production, processing and retail stages.

TwentyforGood Evidence-gathering Process for Future Jobs in AIFV

Digital Frontiers’ TwentyforGood movement is a carefully designed multi-stakeholder initiative aiming to direct at least 20% of future jobs towards solving the world’s greatest challenges. To achieve this vision, TwentyforGood is working to build the body of evidence for SDGs net-positive job-creating ecosystems with its first thematic focus being on agri-innovations in Africa.

Innovations in agriculture and food processing can transform Africa’s AIFV sector into a thriving industry capable of generating substantial employment. The TwentyforGood movement brought together 22 experts from across the African continent to engage in its “Frontier Seminars.” These experts specialised in various fields of agriculture, including crop production, horticulture, livestock and fisheries, apiculture, fodder production, and the provision of technical services for agri-innovations.

The body of expert evidence was generated in two forms — through contributions on the online forum and eight 90-minute online sessions over a full month. Prior to forum contributions and live online sessions, the experts were presented with case studies, reading materials, and videos that focused on the production of AIFVs. During the online live seminars, experts were clustered into three separate breakaway rooms where each team had a separate question to answer. The following sub-section presents the experts’ responses to the questions regarding creating future jobs in the AIFV space.

Creating Current and Future Jobs through AIFV

The experts used the current MUAST AIFV enterprise as a model to guide projections of jobs that the AIFV programming can generate in Sub-Saharan Africa. They also used their expertise, experience, and prior readings to provide informed responses to the different questions which were posed in their separate parallel sessions. Through scaling the MUAST AIFV enterprise, the experts identified the following job categories that could be created in the future, as well as their quantifiable projections.

Direct Primary Farm Jobs

Experts projected that a scaled AIFV would create 100,000 direct primary farm jobs at ten different sites in one country. The job categories include aggregators, niche farmers, trainers, implementation agents, greenhouse contractors, food safety experts, policy developers, nutritionists, microbiologists, seed producers, data analysts and researchers.

Technology Jobs in the AIFV Programming

Owing to the pervasiveness of digital technologies, experts projected that the ten sites in one country would create 10,000 jobs within the technology space to support AIFV production. The potential for innovations in the AIFV sector include crop monitoring, drone technology, smart irrigation systems, vertical indoor farming, and satellite imagery.

Jobs in processing and value addition

As this value chain advances, more job opportunities are being created within the production, processing, and retail stages. Innovating new products, such as gluten-free flour, has immense potential. Experts estimated that over 100,000 jobs would be created in the processing and value-addition stages of AIFV products in a single country. This figure was arrived at following input from the World Food Programme (WFP), which is collaborating with the SADC Secretariate on the SADC Indigenous Food Value Chains Development project. The overall objective of this initiative is to promote the availability, accessibility, and utilisation of indigenous foods, knowledge, and technologies in the region while guiding investments for increased food security, reduced import dependency and enhanced trade.

Building an enabling environment for future jobs in AIFV

To develop a job-creating eco-system in the medium and long term to make AIFVs commercially viable, experts identified the following as needing focused attention:

• Stronger infrastructure
• Training for farmers
• Enabling policy environment
• Shortened supply chain from farmers to markets
• Processing plants and value-added products

Enabling Environment for Innovation: Public-Private Partnerships Collaborations between governments, United Nations agencies such as World Food Programme (WFP), and private sector entities can pool resources and knowledge to support AIFV initiatives. This partnership model ensures sustainable development and scalability in line with the following Sustainable Development Goals (SDG); SDG 1 poverty reduction, SDG 2 zero hunger, SDG 3 health and wellbeing, climate change 13 and partnerships 17

Creating Local Demand

Policies promoting local sourcing for food aid and school feeding programs can stimulate demand for AIFV products, creating a stable market while supporting local agriculture. More so, the polarisation of AIFV into food products can appeal to Generation Z and further demand. Adopting a value chain approach can help to improve the sustainability quality and market access of AIFV.

Education and Skills Development

Investing in rural education and vocational training equips local communities with the skills needed for AIFV cultivation, processing, and marketing, fostering a skilled workforce. Empowering vulnerable groups, such as youth and women, with skills such as grafting of indigenous fruit trees and valorisation of AIFV can significantly advance this value chain.

Research and Development

Funding and supporting research and development initiatives focused on transforming AIFV into new products (e.g., juices, snacks, cosmetics) enhances their commercial viability and attractiveness for export markets. AIFV are mostly popular due to their high nutritional value and bioactive compounds and there is a need for more research to realise the full potential of AIFV regarding their contribution to food and nutrition security.

Infrastructure and Market Access

Developing infrastructure, such as transportation networks, cold storage facilities, and processing plants, is crucial for maintaining quality and extending shelf life ― essential for both local consumption and export. In most African countries, AIFV are primarily sold in informal markets, often along roadsides. Despite the growing demand for AIFV, market formalisation is not taking place. Facilitating market access through trade agreements and market development initiatives can help AIFV products reach global consumers, tapping into international demand for exotic and nutritious foods.

Inclusivity and Sustainability

Establishing community trusts and cooperative structures ensures that local communities benefit equitably from AIFV utilisation. This inclusivity not only empowers communities economically but also safeguards against exploitation.

Protecting indigenous knowledge and biodiversity through sustainable farming practices preserves the cultural and ecological integrity of AIFV production, enhancing long-term viability. Most of the AIFVs are still harvested from the wild, with only minimal cultivation being practiced in some countries. Therefore, it is crucial to implement measures for the sustainable management of these resources to avoid over exploitation and extinction of certain AIFV species.

Financial Support and Intellectual Property Rights

Providing financing mechanisms tailored to agri-tech startups and innovators accelerates their growth and scalability. This includes grants, loans, and venture capital targeting agricultural innovation. Offering opportunities to patent new products derived from AIFV encourages innovation and secures intellectual property rights, positioning African innovators in the global marketplace.

Conclusion

Harnessing the potential of Africa’s indigenous fruits and vegetables through TwentyforGood’s Agri-Innovations not only addresses food security and nutrition challenges but also creates substantial employment opportunities across the continent. By fostering a supportive eco-system encompassing public-private partnerships, education, infrastructure development, and market access, Africa can unlock the economic potential of its rich agricultural heritage.

A sustainable AIFV value chain can help to create non-farm employment, especially for the rural population, resulting in improved rural livelihoods. Together, these efforts can propel Africa towards sustainable development while celebrating and preserving its unique biodiversity.

In the journey towards agricultural transformation, embracing indigenous knowledge and promoting innovation will be pivotal in shaping a resilient and prosperous future for Africa’s agricultural sector.

For more information on TwentyforGood, learn more on our website: https://twentyforgood.org/

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Authors: Mucheri, T., Bvekwa, P., Ruhode, E and Mubako, A. Macheka, L.