Invasive Vegetables? Never heard of!

8/14/2019 Invasive Vegetables? Never heard of!

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INVASIVE VEGETABLES? NEVER HEARD OFF !

BY Willem VAN COTTHEMUniversity of Ghent, Belgium

Since 2007 we are collecting seeds of tropical fruits and the classical vegetablesin order to offer them for free to development projects on different continents.This initiative soon became a huge success, many sponsors of seedsunderstanding that this is a very simple and practical way to help undernourishedpeople to fresh food, in particular the rural people in the drylands.

Nowadays, seeds are sent from all over the world to my personal address inBelgium, where we select the species which would adapt to particular climatesand then send them to development projects in Asia, Africa and South America(see www.seedsforfood.org).

It is interesting to see that a number of people have questions concerning thepossible invasive nature of some vegetables or fruits.

To the best of my knowledge there are no invasive vegetables. And if there are,I would like to know them. My logic says: if one or another foreign vegetableinvades a new area where it is cultivated, no harm would be done because morevegetables would mean more food. Would people really mind such an invasivevegetable to spread easily, in particular the rural people in the drylands?Suppose a variety of tomato, parsley, onion, beetroot, carrot, orange, lemon,avocado, papaya, etc. would invade a desertlike area or a rural area in a Sahel-country. Would people really mind? Would such a variety be an ecologicalcatastrophe or would the local population appreciate the proliferation of that newkind of free fresh food?

I was looking for views of other people about this problem.

----------------------------------------------------ADAM STUARTs MESSAGE

Here is a message from Adam STUART (UK) who has a number of questions onthe topic:

My name is Adam Stuart, and I will be living abroad in Malawi, Africa for a

number of years. I came upon your website or blog describing containergardening while I was searching to determine what seeds might be best to bringfor gardening that would not be harmful to Malawian ecology. It appeared frommy preview of your work that perhaps you might have some insight into whatvegetables may not be good candidates. Im hoping that you may be able toshed some light on the subject, and hope it is alright to contact you in thisregard.

As an example, I am a huge fan of tomatoes. Having grown tomatoes in my owngarden, however, I recognize that tomatoes are most likely to reproduce yearafter year; although, I havent found that they are likely to spread easily. If I

may ask, what is your opinion on this matter? Would tomatoes be an invasivespecies in Africa? Are there specific tomato species that might be safer thanothers?


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Of course, Im also interested in knowing what species would be ideal and/or notideal for gardening in Africa. I dont want to be responsible for introducinginvasive species when Ill be living in Malawi to help develop sustainableeconomic practices that help protect natural resources instead of degrade them.

Thank you for taking the time to read my email. I understand you are likely tobe busy, so I appreciate what assistance you may be able to provide.

Best Regards,

Adam Stuart

MY REPLY (Willem)

I have sent the following reply to Adam:

Good to hear that you will be living in Malawi for a certain time, where my goodfriend Patrick HARRY is promoting container gardening since 2007. It would begood if you contact him over email (see his address).

To the best of my knowledge there are no invasive vegetables. Even if one oranother species would invade a certain area, it would be excellent for people andanimals (getting more food that way). I am sure people would not mind at alland harvest that species for their own benefit.

It is difficult to say which are the best species for Africa. All depends upon theclimate. But seemingly the seeds of melons and pumpkins I gave to Patrick didwonderfully well.

I would rather try different species and see what is going best (Trial and Error).Seeds not germinating are still a contribution to the organic content of the soil.So, no harm will be done.

Wishing you a lot of success and greetings to Patrick,

Willem

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PATRICK HARRYs MESSAGE

Patrick HARRY (Malawi) has sent a message with some very interesting data onvegetable production with container gardening:

I was reading very carefully your e-mail on the topic of introducing new seeds inAfrica. It is of great interest to hear people like Stuart having interest to stay inMalawi and try to help in the development of Container Gardening.

Tomatoes, which he said he grows in his garden, can also do well in Malawidespite the difference in climate. However it all depends on the variety.


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The melons and pumpkins seeds, which you offered me as a gift when I was inBelgium in 2007, are good examples of seeds introduced from Europe to Africa.They do well despite the difference in climate. Those seeds, even if they werenewly introduced, survived the warm climate of Malawi and finally healthy fruitswere produced. This was a significant success through container gardening.

2009 - Malawi container gardening project: look what the seeds we were collecting did for these

kids. Let us multiply such initiatives like container gardening and school gardening for the benefitof all those hungry kids in the world. Ladies and Gentlemen, at the decision-level of the

international scene, this green ball is laying in your camp! (Photo Patrick HARRY)

I am therefore encouraging Stuart to bring with him a lot of vegetables and sometree species from Europe, which can be introduced in Malawi through container

gardening. I am ready to meet him and he is welcome to contribute to theproject for the better of the people of Malawi, so that hunger, poverty anddesertification can be combated all together through container gardening.

I wish you all the best.

NOTE: The e-mail address for container gardening project [email protected].

Patrick Harry.(Director/ Coordinator of Container gardening project- Malawi)


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2009 - Malawi container gardening project: Kids in particular love to participate in containergardening, apparently with astonishing success. Something to consider when taking initiatives to

halt malnutrition in the drylands. (Photo Patrick HARRY)

MY FINAL REMARK (Willem VAN COTTHEM)

What a pleasure to hear that melon and pumpkin did so well in Malawi. Oursincere thanks go to all our sponsors of seeds. Can you imagine that eating amelon or a pumpkin in Europe, Canada, the USA or Australia, saving the seedsinstead of throwing them in the garbage bin or on the compost heap, is helping anumber of kids in Malawi to juicy fruits or a tasty pumpkin soup?

Do I hear more critics on our action Seeds for Food? Invasive vegetables? Not

in Malawi! No where!

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Invasive Vegetables? Never heard of!