Slime, fiber, and healthier diets:
How okra and amaranth are driving opportunities in West Africa

Okra and amaranth are emerging as crops with significant economic and nutritional potential for West Africa – that was the clear message from experts at a recent African Vegetable Breeding Consortium (AVBC) workshop in Benin.

Around 30 representatives from more than 20 seed companies, research institutes, and the public sector gathered at the International Institute of Tropical Agriculture (IITA) campus in Abomey-Calavi, to explore how these two so-called “opportunity crops” could become regional drivers of economic growth and improved diets.

Surath in the field

The event was organized by the World Vegetable Center (WorldVeg) West and Central Africa regional office, as part of the African Vegetable Breeding Consortium (AVBC). It was supported by the Vision for Adapted Crops and Soils (VACS) initiative.

Okra: The promise of pectin

Workshop participants identified strong opportunities for okra both locally and internationally. Market intelligence presented by the Okra Working Group from VACS showed that West African okra varieties differ sharply from the widely traded Indian types, especially in terms of their higher mucilage content. Mucilage – of which the main constituent is pectin, a natural soluble fiber and polysaccharide found in the cell walls of fruits and vegetables – determines okra’s characteristic “sliminess” when cooked. 

As well as this being a quality highly valued by West African consumers, Professor Jacob Agbenorhevi of Kwame Nkrumah University of Science and Technology (KNUST), Ghana, emphasized okra’s untapped potential in pectin production. Pectin is widely used globally as a thickener and stabilizer in food processing, pharmaceuticals, and other industries. Currently, pectin is typically extracted from citrus peels by processors in Europe.

Yet localised extraction in Ghana and Côte d’Ivoire, for example, could support chocolate processing. While these countries account for over half of the world’s production of cocoa – the key ingredient in chocolate – the cocoa industries there tend only to produce semi-finished products. The large-scale use of pectin – often in the fillings in finished chocolate products – overwhelmingly happens abroad. Click to read the recent paper by WorldVeg: Tapping into the potential of okra (Abelmoschus spp.) in Africa: Integrating value-added traits into breeding.

The workshop heard that development of locally sourced okra-based pectin extraction could transform okra from an opportunity crop to an important cash crop, supporting local processing and generating substantial economic value for okra producers, pectin extractors, and chocolate makers alike. While some local initiatives are already underway to extract pectin from okra, increased government support could help to scale up these opportunities and unlock their full potential.

A subsequent panel discussion featuring research organizations and private seed companies underscored the significance of the global okra seed market and the potential for developing the seed sector in Africa.

Amaranth: The nutritional powerhouse

Amaranth discussions focused on the crop’s high nutritional value, particularly in terms of folic acid and calcium, which are essential for infants, lactating women, and pregnant women. Prof. Enoch Achigan-Dako (University of Abomey-Calavi) stressed that increasing amaranth consumption by women could enhance the quality of breast milk, and using amaranth seeds to produce flour for infant food or leaves for young children could have a substantial positive impact on child health and development. While local initiatives are ongoing, additional support from governments could expand production, processing, and access, maximizing both health and economic benefits.

A highlight of the workshop was the field visit, during which participants observed more than 250 okra breeding lines and genebank accessions, as well as 16 amaranth breeding lines. This visit provided an opportunity for participants from the private sector to evaluate local genetic material and identify promising varieties suitable for West African conditions. The exposure enabled companies to make informed decisions, improving their product portfolios with locally adapted genetics.

Wrapping up, both private and public stakeholders outlined their priorities moving forward, and the workshop concluded with a series of recommendations:

• Establish multi-location trials to test okra and amaranth performance.
• Facilitate sharing of genebank materials to strengthen okra and amaranth breeding programs.
• Hold quarterly meetings of the okra and amaranth working groups.
• Develop platforms for continuous public–private collaboration.
• Support the creation of locally processed products such as okra-based pectin and nutrient-rich amaranth foods.

Group shot in the meeting

Finally, participants also underscored the importance of enabling policy frameworks. Stronger government engagement could provide incentives for local transformation, expand access to finance, and put in place regulatory systems that support the development of high-value products.

The Okra and Amaranth Working Groups will continue their collaboration through regular meetings and knowledge-sharing platforms, advancing the path set out at the Benin workshop.

Established in 2018, AVBC is a joint initiative of WorldVeg and the African Seed Trade Association (AFSTA). A public-private partnership, it aims to promote the development of a strong vegetable seed sector in Africa. It provides members with exclusive, early-bird access to WorldVeg-improved vegetable breeding lines to enhance their own breeding programs. It also connects vegetable breeders, entomologists, pathologists and other researchers with seed companies and farmers.