Agricultural researcher Dr Qinisani Qwabe is a living example of how perseverance in the face of adversity can lead to the greatest moments of one’s life. Qwabe joins us on this episode of Farmer’s Inside Track to talk about his research on indigenous vegetables and it’s socio-economic contribution to people’s livelihoods.
“I’ve been doing that in the past three, four years. And the aim is to continue contributing towards the betterment of my local community and their livelihoods,” he says.
Qwabe failed matric in 2011 but he did not allow it to deter him. Today, he holds a PhD and Qwabe views his achievement as firstly a sign to humble himself, and not let the trophy get to his head.
“I am grateful. I am happy. Yes, but it comes with a lot of responsibilities, I suppose. And now I am going to be considered as one of the experts in my field,” he says.
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Sustaining communities
To live up to his title, Qwabe states that his research is to promote access to information on agricultural biodiversity. Also, to try and find out what role indigenous vegetables play in the agro ecosystem, along with their contribution to household food insecurity.
“What I discovered while visiting these communities for the past four years, is that we’re talking about superfoods that are extremely nutritious, especially when compared to your typical vegetable crops.
“Research tells us that the likes of amaranths are highly nutritious as well as sweet potatoes.
“Economically, households with female seekers as elders would cultivate these vegetables and sell them to nearby towns and cities. And this would help with household income generation, which I believe is a significant contribution.” he explains.
Talking about what’s next for him, Qwabe says that he hopes to further shape his career, both in the academic environment and community development.
He wants to continue his drive of promoting indigenous vegetables to ensure that indigenous foods become accepted as part of our food systems just like any other crops. His advice to those looking to follow in his footsteps, Qwabe says, “Fix your eyes on the ball because that is what I did. I focused on what I wanted to achieve and worked towards it.”
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