By Henry Neondo
In the heart of Molo Sub-County in Nakuru County, Kenya, lies a kitchen garden that stands as a testament to the healing power of tradition. Mama Jane Sigara, a dedicated farmer and passionate herbalist, has made it her mission to preserve and promote indigenous vegetables, herbs, and traditional plants that are fast disappearing from many Kenyan farms and forests.
With a strong belief that food is medicine, Jane has carved out a quarter-hectare space within her compound in Gitaru village of Molo sub-County to cultivate and conserve as many of these plants as possible.
In so doing, Mama (a respectful name of an elderly lady) Jane, as is popularly known, not only enriches her family diet but also contributes to the wider community’s health and well-being besides ensuring that the tradition is not lost to the generations ahead.
For a visitor unfamiliar with Jane’s garden, the sight in her compound might seem like any other rural farm: a patch of land that looks abandoned, with plants and herbs sprawling freely in every direction including the veranda of the two houses within her compound.
Yet, this apparent disarray is anything but accidental. Every plant, herb, and grass on her farm has a specific purpose and offers some kind of benefit.
Jane’s garden is an eclectic mix of traditional herbs and vegetables that not only serve culinary purposes but also possess medicinal properties. She has minimized tilling and weeding to allow the plants to grow naturally, a method that aligns with her holistic approach to health and agriculture. In Gitaru village, Jane is known as the “traditional seed grower and propagator.” It is a title she wears proudly, as she believes that the knowledge of these plants should not be lost to future generations.
As she leads you through the garden, Jane’s enthusiasm for her plants becomes evident. She will be telling you the benefit of a plant or herb as she unconsciously plucks it , throwing it in her mouth chewing while explaining its purpose and value.
She has created a space where nature is allowed to thrive, and where food is considered as much a remedy for the body as it is a source of nourishment.
A walk through the garden
One of the first things you notice as Jane takes you through her garden is the abundance of indigenous plants. They grow in clusters, as if they have found a com
munity of their own. Among these, Jane points out a few key varieties that have been integral to her diet and their attendant health benefits for years.
Known locally as Managu in Kikuyu and Esagaro in Kisii, African nightshade is a popular vegetable that has been a staple of Kenyan cuisine for generations. With its dark green leaves, this vegetable is rich in vitamins and minerals, particularly iron and calcium. It is often cooked as a stew or added to soups, and is believed to help manage blood pressure and improve digestion. Jane prescribes this nutritious vegetable to the neighbours who consult her regularly. She equally incorporates this into her meals, and it plays an important role in maintaining her overall health.
This leafy green, known as Wagoroso in Kisii and Sukuma wa Shamba in Nakuru, is another common vegetable grown in Jane’s garden. The spider plant is highly nutritious and is known for its high iron content, making it particularly beneficial for people suffering from anemia. It is commonly boiled, steamed, or stir-fried, and its benefits extend beyond nutrition—it is also used in traditional medicine to treat ailments like skin diseases, menstrual cramps, and digestive problems. Jane believes that eating these nutrient-dense vegetables has been key to maintaining her strong and healthy lifestyle.
Amaranth, known locally as Terere or murere in most both bantu-speaking Kenyans, is another vegetable that has long been cherished in traditional diets. It is rich in protein, vitamins, and minerals, and is often included in stews or served as a side dish. Amaranth is believed to help regulate blood sugar levels and improve overall immune function. Jane grows various varieties of amaranth, both the green and red-leafed types, which she incorporates into her meals and shares with her community.
In Kisii, cowpea leaves are known as Ekitookye or Mchicha wa Njiru in Molo. These leaves are packed with essential nutrients, including proteins, vitamins A and C, and calcium. The leaves are often used in stews or soups, and the legumes themselves are cooked as a protein-rich side dish. Cowpea leaves are also considered a medicinal plant, with some people using them to treat symptoms of malaria, chest infections, and digestive disorders. Jane emphasizes the importance of growing such multi-purpose plants that not only provide food but also aid in medicinal healing.
Coriander, or Dhania, is an essential herb in Jane’s kitchen garden. Used both as a spice in cooking and as a medicinal herb, coriander is believed to aid digestion, reduce inflammation, and act as an antioxidant. The fresh leaves are used to garnish food, while the seeds are dried and ground to make a flavorful spice. In addition to its culinary use, coriander has been shown to help lower blood sugar levels, which makes it particularly beneficial for those managing diabetes.
Known for its distinct lemony fragrance, lemongrass, or Onyung’a in Kisii and Ngurumu in Nakuru, is another herb that Jane has cultivated in her garden. The leaves are often used to make herbal teas, which are believed to have calming and digestive properties. Lemongrass is also used in various skin treatments, as it contains antioxidants and has antibacterial properties. For Jane, lemongrass serves as a natural remedy for stress relief, digestion, and even as a soothing oil for massage.
Ekitong’onera in Kisii and Enyoro in Nakuru, bitter leaf is a powerful medicinal plant that Jane has in abundance. Known for its potent healing properties, bitter leaf is commonly used in traditional medicine to treat a wide range of ailments, from malaria to digestive disorders. Despite its bitter taste, it is revered for its detoxifying effects and its ability to cleanse the liver and purify the blood. Jane has learned how to incorporate this plant into her diet, using it in soups or as a medicinal drink when needed.
The Significance of Traditional Food Practices
Mama Jane’s approach to food is one rooted in tradition and respect for nature. She has always believed that food should not just be something to fill the stomach but something that heals and nourishes the body. Her strict diet is based on the foods she grows in her own garden, and she avoids processed foods or anything that does not come from her land. For her, this is the key to maintaining a healthy, strong life.
“I live a healthy and strong life. It is all about food. Food to me is medicine. I don’t take anything that does not grow on my compound,” Jane says with a smile. She is a firm believer in the medicinal power of the plants she grows, and she feels that her diet—rich in traditional vegetables and herbs—has been instrumental in maintaining her well-being.
By consuming foods in their whole form, including seeds and leaves, Jane minimizes the loss of nutrients that often occurs when food is processed or peeled. She believes that many of the foods she grows, especially those with seeds, provide important nutritional benefits that are lost when foods are stripped of their natural components. “I try to eat many foods with seeds, avoiding peeling off many of the plants I cook and eat,” she explains. “This way, I have maintained a healthy lifestyle.”
The Importance of Conservation
Mama Jane is not only dedicated to maintaining a healthy lifestyle but also to preserving the plants and crops that have nourished her community for generations. With the increasing use of hybrid and commercial crops, many traditional vegetables and herbs are disappearing, threatening biodiversity and food security in the region. Jane has taken it upon herself to conserve these plants by growing and propagating them in her garden, ensuring that they are not lost to future generations.
Through her work, Jane has become a champion of biodiversity in her community, encouraging others to embrace traditional farming practices and grow indigenous crops. She has also taken it upon herself to educate her neighbors and the younger generation about the importance of preserving local plant varieties, not just for their nutritional and medicinal benefits, but also for their role in maintaining a healthy ecosystem.
“I want to show others that you don’t need to buy expensive fertilizers or pesticides to grow food. You can rely on nature and traditional methods to maintain a healthy farm,” Jane says, her face radiating the pride of someone who is helping to preserve an important part of her culture.
Mama Jane Sigara’s garden is more than just a place where food is grown; it is a living testament to the healing power of nature. By preserving traditional herbs and vegetables, she is not only securing her own health but also safeguarding the knowledge of her ancestors for future generations. As Kenya continues to face challenges related to food security and nutrition, the example set by Jane offers a valuable lesson in the importance of returning to our roots and embracing the wisdom of traditional farming practices.
Through her work, Mama Jane is helping to keep alive a heritage of healing and health that has sustained generations of Kenyans for centuries. Jane is a member of a community working with the Maendeleo Endelevu Programme (MEAP) in Molo, Kenya. MEAP is one of the partners of the African Biodiversity Network, supporting communities in building resilience to the impacts of climate change.
END
The article is published with a generous support from the African Biodiversity Network
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