South African Indigenous Food Crops
© Michris Janse van Rensburg
A field of cowpeas - an indigenous legume crop planted near Bultfontein in the Free State - are being tilled to remove weeds.
South Africa is blessed with thousands of useful plants, many used in the daily lives of millions of South Africans to provide nourishment to both humans and animals. These plants are being rediscovered and researched as a means to diversify the South African diet and provide sustainable income. Southafrica.co.za is providing well-researched content in all 11 South Africa languages to allow for all citizens to plant, harvest and enjoy the bounty of indigenous South Africa fruit, grains and vegetables.
Indigenous South African food crops refer to crops that have their origin in South Africa as well as crops that were introduced into the country and are now considered...
moreIndigenous Vegetables have sustained rural families over the centuries, adding to nutrients to traditional diets. Unfortunately, over the years, cultivation of traditional vegetables, often also associated with poverty...
moreSouth African Indigenous fruits are fruits that are found in the wild, but are also commercially grown to be eaten fresh or processed into products...
moreThis section on grain crops of South Africa looks at crops grown by subsistence and commercial farmers. These crops are often very suitable to dry conditions and in an increasingly water-starved environment...
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