Below are excerpts from a Feed the Future newsletter article, "Growing the Evidence Base behind Nutritious, Leafy Vegetables." This article was featured in the Feed the Future newsletter on July 17, 2014.

The article highlights the Horticulture Innovation Lab project focused on strengthening the value chain for African indigenous vegetables in Kenya, Tanzania, and Zambia, led by Stephen Weller or Purdue University..

"With nutrition in mind, the Feed the Future Innovation Lab for Horticulture has been working with an international team of researchers to strengthen the value chain for African indigenous vegetables. Their work began in western Kenya with a food and farm training program established by the Academic Model Promoting Access to Health Care (AMPATH) health system. Doctors there knew patients who were well-nourished would respond better to medical treatment for HIV/AIDS, so the program sought to encourage clients to grow, eat and sell nutritious crops. Some of the most common leafy African indigenous vegetables – amaranth, black nightshade and spider plant – were identified as promising crops for the training program.

...

"Unfortunately, the scientific evidence base around these crops was sparse, so the Horticulture Innovation Lab built a project team to address research gaps in production practices, seed availability, storage, value addition, market linkages and nutrition."

Read the rest of the article: Growing the Evidence Base behind Nutritious, Leafy Vegetables, from July 17, 2014, in the Feed the Future newsletter