Browsing by Author "Treydte, Anna C."

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    Growth performance of the neglected crop Telfairia pedata across elevation and climate gradients in Northern Tanzania
    (Elsevier, 2022-02) Shayo, Philipina F.; Mbega, Ernest R.; Treydte, Anna C.
    Herbaceous vines, including the neglected crop Telfairia pedata, play a key role in small-holder livelihoods of Eastern Africa. Despite this species’ importance in enhancing agro-biodiversity, little is known about its distri- bution and growth performance in relation to environmental variables. We collected biophysical and environ- mental data, i.e., on climate and elevation, for 346 T. pedata vines across four districts of Northern Tanzania from September, 2019, to February, 2020. The four sites included Same, Lushoto, Muheza and Arumeru districts. We found that plants of T. pedata were mainly grown in elevations ranging between 900 to 1800 m above sea level with annual rainfall regimes of 1000 to 1400 mm. We recorded large abundance of T. pedata in Lushoto (46%) and Arumeru (28%) and observed that the number of fruits and fruit diameter were both positively correlated with elevation across the study districts. There was a significant effect of elevation on number of seeds, with Same district having more seeds across the studied districts. Rainfall had a significant effect on fruit diameter and number of seeds in the study districts. Furthermore, the tree species Albizia schimperiana was most commonly (in 40% of the cases) associated with T. pedata, followed by Persea americana (14%), and Croton macrostachyus (9%). We highlight that mountainous regions are ideal for this highly nutritious crop, and that native trees are of high importance for enriching this vine to current agro-ecosystems. Our findings will increase awareness on the importance of raising T. pedata crop, livelihood diversification, and increasing biodiversity through production of this orphan crop in small-holder farms.
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    Underutilised Oyster Nut (Telfairia pedata): Farmers’ Knowledge, Practices and Utilisation in Northern Tanzania.
    (MUST Journal of Research and Development (MJRD), 2025-05-01) Shayo, Philip.; Treydte, Anna C.; Mbega, Ernest R.
    Oyster nut [Telfairia pedata (Smiths ex Sim)] Hook is a regularly cultivated crop in East African countries such as Tanzania (including Zanzibar Island), Uganda, Angola, Mozambique, and along Kenya’s coast, which is regarded to be underutilised. Despite its relevance to small-scale farmers in terms of conservation, income creation and food security, little is known about the farmer’s knowledge, practices and utilisation in Northern Tanzania. Therefore, this study aimed at investigating aspects of its production, including farmers’ practices, utilisation and preferences. Data collection was carried out through semi-structured questionnaires in the regions of Arusha, Kilimanjaro and Tanga. Descriptive analysis was done whereby frequencies, means and percentages were calculated using SPSS from the farmers’ responses. The results on oyster nut preferences, knowledge, cultivation and utilisation were presented in the form of tables and graphs. The findings revealed that 87% of respondents who were knowledgeable about oyster nuts were female, 89% of interviewed farmers grew the nuts on inherited family lands, 24% of respondents stored oyster nuts in perforated plastic bags, and 90% of the farmers used recycled seeds as their primary method of propagation without the use of any agricultural inputs. Conclusively, the study gives significant baseline data for future research on oyster nuts and development projects in Tanzania to enhance its conservation and sustainable usage while ensuring nutritional security for the majority of resource-poor people.