Nutrient-specific knowledge of indigenous foods is limited among many communities in Africa. A new food composition database in Uganda was constructed in dialogue with knowledge keepers from the Batwa and Bakiga Peoples to assess the nutrient density of these locally harvested foods . As in other lower resource settings, no food composition tables are available for southwestern Uganda. The only existing food database was designed for central and eastern Uganda; it does not include common recipes and local foods consumed by Batwa and Bakiga communities . Using a community-based approach and collaboration with local nutritionists, a list of foods was collected through focus group discussions, an individual dietary survey and market assessments. Including these locally familiar foods ultimately supports a focus on indigenous justice and the importance of valuing indigenous food systems and practices, which in many contexts have been found to have superior nutritional and environmental benefits for communities . This new and unique database including indigenous foods will not only guide local nutrition and health initiatives, but also contribute towards policies related to indigenous food sovereignty and resilience to climate change.
IPCC
Climate Change 2022: Impacts, Adaptation and Vulnerability
IPCC Report