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aFricaThe exTraorDinary varieTy of leafy veGeTables ThaT Grow in africa is a GreaT resource for The communiTies ThaT harvesT Them To sell in local markeTs anD cook aT homethe thouSAndS oF uSeSoF LeavesVAlentinA merAVigliA And irene mAroccoMoringa, amaranth and sweet potato, crain crain (Corchorus olitorius) and broad bologi (Basella alba). These are the names of some of Africa’s best- known leafy vegetables, commonly used in traditional recipes and sym- bolic of food sovereignty and security. Many of them can be found in the more than 1,000 gardens that the Slow Food network has created across Africa and the Terra Madre network of chefs can show off their most interesting uses.amaranth, sPidEr PLant and moringaWhereas in Central America, only ama- ranth seeds are eaten, in Africa the plant’s leaves are also consumed. Im- ported by Portuguese explorers, today the plant is a fundamental part of the African diet, as attested by the thou-sands of names it goes by in various local languages. In Sierra Leone, for example, the still tender leaves are cut into thin strips and pan-fried in oil, or used to make soups.Spider plant is a name used for 150- 200 species, 50 of which are indig- enous to Africa. The variety Cleome gynandra, also known as African cab- bage, has white leaves and thrives in poor or sandy soils. In the right con- ditions it is harvested just three weeks after sowing, making it a vital compo- nent of the diet of rural populations. The fresh leaves are fried or boiled in water or milk to make them less bit- ter, or mixed with other vegetables in soups and condiments. Besides being a foodstuff, the plant is also used for medicinal purposes or as a treatment against pest insects.1177