TITLE:
The Synergy of Indigenous Vegetables and Bioenergy for Nutritious Food Sovereignty in Tanzania and Beyond: A Systematic Review
AUTHORS:
Yusto Mugisha Yustas, Hadijah Ally Mbwana
KEYWORDS:
Indigenous Vegetables, Bioenergy, Food Sovereignty, Circular Bioeconomy, Clean Cooking, Tanzania
JOURNAL NAME:
Journal of Power and Energy Engineering,
Vol.14 No.3,
March
16,
2026
ABSTRACT: Ensuring food sovereignty amid climate change, energy insecurity, and fragile food systems remains a central challenge for low- and middle-income countries. Indigenous vegetables (IVs) and bioenergy represent two locally grounded yet often separately addressed components of sustainable development. This systematic review synthesises evidence on how synergies between IVs and bioenergy systems jointly advance nutritious food sovereignty in Tanzania and comparable contexts globally. Drawing on 123 peer-reviewed and grey literature sources published between 1990 and 2025, the review demonstrates that IVs provide climate-resilient, nutrient-dense foods essential for dietary diversity, while bioenergy enables energy-efficient processing, preservation, and storage of these foods. When integrated, IVs and bioenergy form a circular bioeconomy in which agricultural residues are valorised into clean energy, post-harvest losses are reduced, nutrient retention is enhanced, and reliance on imported food and fossil fuels declines. The review further shows that such synergies align strongly with national development strategies and global sustainability frameworks, including Tanzania’s NMNAP II, FYDP III, and the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs 2 and 7). The paper concludes that integrating indigenous agri-food systems with decentralised bioenergy is not merely a technical option but a strategic pathway toward equitable, resilient, and sovereign food-energy systems. Future research should focus on socio-technical integration, gender-inclusive governance, and scalable policy frameworks to unlock the full potential of IV-bioenergy synergies.