Why you should grow spider plant 

However, experts who have written scholarly articles recommend farmers to engage in growing spider flower vegetable on large scale due to its high nutritional value.

The plant contains nutritional food value as well as medicinal attributes where ingredients can be extracted to develop medicine for treating certain health challenges.

The African spider plant is high in beta-carotene, folic acid, vitamin C and calcium and a good source of vitamin E, iron and oxalic acid. Leaves and shoots are usually boiled or used to prepare soup.

It exists as semi-cultivated indigenous leafy vegetable with ecological, social and cultural values in most home gardens in the country.

It plays a significant role in the food and nutrition security of local communities. The tender leaves are usually consumed as a cooked vegetable while the roots, stem and whole leaves are used for medicinal purposes.

Background
In a 2022 publication African Journal of food and Agriculture, nutrition and development about prospects of farmers growing spider plant for nutrition, it is stated that spider plant also known as Celome Gynandra contains about 700-800 species which scientists divided into 45 types.

Experts explain the importance of spider plant in the context of biodiversity conservation and food security because the vegetable is rich in micronutrients and phytochemicals associated with antioxidant, anti-malaria and anti-microbial properties.

It is believed to have existed in the wild in most countries in Sub Saharan Africa and South East Asia.

Farmers are cultivating it as a leaf vegetable for nutrition consumption because it is rich in ascorbic acid, calcium and iron.

The tender leaves and young shoots are generally cooked and eaten in stews as side dish. 

Best practices
In a publications by scientists working with UK based Centre for Agriculture Biosciences International (CABI) highlighting best practices farmers can adopt, they explain them as below.

Environmental requirements

Spider plant is adapted to a wide range of environmental conditions. It grows well from sea level and tolerates high and low temperatures and the plants do not tolerate shade as they require high light intensity.

It grows in efficient water utilization areas with high photosynthetic capacity at high temperatures.

This allows it to grow in areas with short periods of rainfall but some species is not particularly resistant to prolonged drought.

It tolerates some drought conditions and water stress leads to stunted growth. The species require soils with high organic matter content especially those previously mixed with animal manure.

Propagation
The plant is propagated using seed though farmers and most communities harvest plants that disperse naturally in the field though cultivation is becoming more widespread. 

Seeds that are normally directly sown as seedlings do not withstand transplanting due to slow growth of the taproot which has very few lateral roots. However if transplanted very young, transplant shock is minimised.

Cultivation and weeding
Farmers are advised to sow seeds in rows in a well prepared farmland incorporating manure, either on level ground, in raised beds or on ridges. Seeds are either broadcast or sown in drills usually 30 cm apart. The very small seeds are mixed with dry sand during sowing.

Farmers who are able to afford can apply fertiliser to boost yield and the measurement can be 80 kilogrammes per hectare. Hand weeding or shallow hoeing is recommended to avoid taproot damage.

Harvesting
In wild grown plants flowering and fruiting occurs throughout the year. Harvesting normally commences at the start of the rainy season before other crops are available and thinning usually constitute the first harvest. 

Terminal shoots are often harvested next allowing the development of side shoots. Harvesting is undertaken manually with weekly leaf yields generally increasing up the 7th week of growth.

If harvesting is effected after seven weeks of planting, then the farmer is able to obtain plants with higher protein content. Cumulative leaf yields of 30 tons per hectare per season are possible when the field is well managed.

Postharvest treatment
This includes planning for transportation to the available market but the packaging must be using polythene bags or crates. Leaves are sprinkled with water to keep them fresh. Dried products such as whole leaves, powder or leaf balls may be stored for 6 months or up to a year depending on. These are soaked in water prior to use.

Marketing
Across Africa, leaves and young shoots are sold in rural and urban markets, mainly during the rainy season. 

The crop is mostly gathered or grown and sold by rural women and is a major income generator contributing to farmers.

A growing awareness of the exceptional nutritional value of the vegetable among urban consumers has contributed to a growth in trade. 

Nutritional attributes of spider plant
Spider plant is a highly nutritive vegetable consumed in most parts of tropical Africa. It occurs as cultivated, semi cultivated, weed, or wild plant having ecological, social and cultural values in daily food and nutritional requirements. Although, its taste is quite bitter due to high phenolic compounds, there are unique features obtained through chemical analysis on mineral nutrition to quantify crude fibre, vitamin B and C, zinc and iron.

Phenolic compounds are considered essential organic components of minerals and being present in trace amount, which improves the taste of the sauce.

Fresh spider plant is rich in proteins, minerals and vitamins. These nutrients are lacking in many exotic leafy vegetables consumed making African spider plant becoming one of the highly nutritious neglected and underutilised vegetables.

Attributes 
Spider plant is adapted to a wide range of environmental conditions. It grows well from sea level and tolerates high and low temperatures and the plants do not tolerate shade as they require high light intensity.

It grows in efficient water utilization areas with high photosynthetic capacity at