Integrated Participatory Approach Reveals Perceived Local Availability of Wild Edible Plants in Northwestern Kenya

Abstract Availability is a crucial aspect of wild edible plants (WEPs) consumption by indigenous communities. Understanding the local perception this availability helps to determine, which contribution WEPs can make rural We used an integrated participatory approach investigate important parameters and themes that influenced woody WEPs. demonstrate in three communities Turkana County, Kenya. By availability, we referred ease accessing, harvesting, transporting, processing for consumption. conducted focus group discussions (FGDs). asked FGD participants list, score, discuss availability. logistic regression mixed-content analysis identify themes, respectively. The most were toothbrush tree ( Salvadora persica L.), Indian jujube Ziziphus mauritiana Lam.), mbamba ngoma Balanites rotundifolia (Tiegh.) Blatt.). Distance, seasonality, price, adequacy harvested household parameters. Culture tradition, distribution WEPs, climate change emerged as themes. showed importance using when assessing WEPs’ could be comparable arid semi-arid areas with semi-nomadic pastoralists across Africa.