Traditional knowledge transfer of activities practised by Zulu women to manage medicinal and food plant gardens

Abstract

A survey of plants grown in home gardens was conducted through questionnaires among 80 homesteads in rural areas of northern KwaZulu-Natal in South Africa. The areas surveyed were located at Mbonambi, Kwadlangezwa, Ntambanana and Eshowe. Elderly women (≥ 55 years) and girls (≤ 21years) were questioned on names and uses of plants grown in the home garden. Various medicinal and food plants were found in the home gardens. The well-known plants reported to be used around the homestead were Citrus limon, Citrus sinensis, Cucurbita pepo, Musa davyae, Zea mays, Bidens pilosa, Encephalartos villosus, Momordica foetida, Plectranthus ambiguus and Sansevieria hyacinthoides. The elderly women possessed more knowledge (64.4%) than girls (7.5%) on plant uses. Knowledge on rituals pertaining to harvesting and field protection was 28.6% for elderly women and 1.79% for girls.