Reclaiming Traditional African Vegetables for health, markets, and livelihoods through demand-led approaches
In Eswatini, government, researchers, farmers and private-sector partners are commercialising Traditional African Vegetables through a demand-led platform launched in October 2025 to improve nutrition, markets and livelihoods.
- crops
- food security
- smallholder farmers
Reclaiming Traditional African Vegetables for health, markets, and livelihoods through demand-led approaches
In Eswatini, government, researchers, farmers and private-sector partners are commercialising Traditional African Vegetables through a demand-led platform launched in October 2025 to improve nutrition, markets and livelihoods.
In a remarkable turnaround, what was once considered a forgotten crop is steadily becoming one of Eswatini's most promising agricultural opportunities. Traditional African Vegetables (TAVs) are emerging as green gold for farmers, generating new income while providing communities with nutritious, locally grown food. As the country seeks to reduce its dependence on imported vegetables, these indigenous crops are proving that they can deliver both economic and nutritional value.
By bringing together government institutions, researchers, development partners, private sector actors and farmers, the Multi-Stakeholder Platform (MSP) for Traditional African Vegetables is laying the foundation for a stronger and more inclusive TAV value chain.