As an added bonus for attending family nutrition seminars held in August 2009, Wakulima dairy farmers were presented with Winter Squash seeds that had been donated by Vesey's Seeds, York, PEI.
While I had images of golden mashed squash this farmer was even more excited by the vast number of large leaves that the plants had produced. She also reported harvesting 3 squash (many more were on the vine). Squash vines surround 3 sides of her home and the leaves are regularly picked to use in 'mokimo'.
Mokimo, or irio, is a mixture of irish potatoes, green bananas, green leaves and maize kernals. The mixture is mashed to make a green 'mashed potato' that I would akin to Kenyan comfort food. Recipes vary between families but up to a kg of leaves can be in a family's daily mokimo; providing Vitamin A to the family (as does the squash itself).
Vitamin A is important for good vision, to prevent 'nightblindness', and for overall good health. Vitamin A is deficient in the average Kenyan's diet as reported by UNICEF 2005. We are hopeful that our nutrition education with a variety of seeds can help alleviate this deficiency with our partner farmers at Wakulima Dairy Ltd.
Colleen Walton
Feb 13, 2010
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