Unpacking rural women farmers' knowledge of indigenous wild and leafy green vegetables in western Uganda from a decolonial perspective

In this study, I examined how rural women farmers in Western Uganda understand, use, and pass down Indigenous knowledge about wild and leafy green vegetables. Many existing studies on agricultural knowledge have limitations—they often rely on Western scientific perspectives, overlook women's contributions, focus on agribusiness, and mainly use quantitative methods. These gaps shaped the direction of my research. Using postcolonial feminist theory and political ecologies of the body, I explored three key questions: 1) how women evaluate the importance of leafy green vegetables, 2) why they choose to grow and eat them, and 3) how they preserve and share their knowledge. The study took place in Kisinga Sub-County, Kasese District, Western Uganda, where I conducted semi-structured interviews with 38 farmers. This research emphasizes the value of local knowledge and highlights two main themes: 1) social, cultural, and economic factors influencing the Uganda food system, and (2) farmers' personal experiences with wild and leafy green vegetables with affect knowledge formation, retention and transfer. By focusing on women's perspectives, the study adds to discussions on how knowledge is shaped through daily life and advocates for diversity in knowledge formation. The study also contributes to conversations on food security and sustainable agricultural policies.