Download The Development of Indigenous Fruit Trees in Eastern Africa for Improved Livelihoods

The Development of Indigenous Fruit
Trees in Eastern Africa for Improved
Livelihoods
A Joint Collaboration Between
AFREA and Bioversity
International
1.0
Introduction
 IFTs identified as a priority area in sub-region in
priority setting workshop in 2000, FAO
 Bioversity International (IPGRI) – MoU
(SAFORGEN) with FORNESSA 2002, IFTs priority
area for collaboration
 Implemented through two projects;
 Review and Appraisal on the Status of
Indigenous Fruits in Eastern Africa (2003/04)
 Use and Conservation of Indigenous Fruit
Tree Diversity for Improved Livelihoods in
Eastern Africa (2007/09)
2.0
Review and Appraisal on the Status of
Indigenous Fruits in Eastern Africa
Information exists sub-region (grey &
published). Review useful starting point for
developing appropriate interventions building
upon on-going initiatives
 ToRs;
 Review literature (published/grey) within each
country on the status of research and
development,
 Carry out field appraisal identify key players
carrying out research/development on the one
hand and production/marketing and verify five
priority fruit species with detailed information on
each,
 Identify gaps for research and development of
each species.
Highlights
 Countries - Ethiopia, Kenya, Sudan & Tanzania
2.1
Ethiopia
 370 indigenous food plants (70 families); 182 species
(40 families) are trees/shrubs with edible fruits/seeds
 25 marketable
 21 local markets,
 2 national - Mimusops kummel, Ziziphus
spina-christi
 2 international - T. indica, B. aegyptiaca
 Priority species
 Criteria - food/nutritional value, socioeconomic
importance, availability, marketability, potential for
development through value addition, and potential
for other uses
 Species - Balanites aegyptaica, Cordeauxia edulis,
Mimusops kummel, Sclerocarya birrea, Vitellaria
paradoxa
Highlights
Nuts of C. edulis taken to the market in sacks
C. edulis tree near Degob settlement
Fruits of M. kummel brought to the market
Fruits of Vitellaria paradoxa
Highlights
 Research in IFTs
 EARO-FRD – variation among different
populations with regard to the amount and
quality of oil in the fruits of B. aegyptiaca,
 EARO – FRD - Genetic variation in VPN,
 Alemaya University and Jijiga Range Land
Development Unit of the Ministry of
Agriculture – conservation status of
Cordeauxia edulis,
 Somali Pastoral-Agro-Pastoral Research
Institute (SOPARI) - Silvicultural and
Management aspects of Mimusops
kummel,
Highlights
2.2 Kenya
800 indigenous food plants (105 families); 400
species are fruit plants (57 families),
 50 species market potential;
10 local markets,
4 national markets - T. indica , A. digitata, Dalium
orientale, Syzygium guineense
International market - T. indica
Priority species - Tamarindus indica, Adansonia
digitata, Sclerocarya birrea, Ziziphus mauritiana,
Balanites aegyptiaca
Highlights
•
Unshelled Tamarind fruits
Ziziphus fruits
Unshelled Baobab fruits
Balanites fruits
Highlights


Research in IFTs
Key research institutions in the country include Kenya
Forestry Research Institute (KEFRI), National Museums of
Kenya (NMK) and World Agroforestry Centre (ICRAF)

Areas covered - taxonomy, eco-geographical
distribution of species, phenology, management, nutritional
status and socio-economic aspects of indigenous fruits.

KEFRI – domestication and product development
Highlights
2.3 Sudan
 716 IFTs
 Over 45 species marketable;
 40 species in the local markets
 Four national - Adansonia digitata, B. aegyptiaca,
Hyphaene thebaica, T. indica,
 Three species international market - Adansonia digitata,
B. aegyptiaca, T. Indica
 Priority species - Adansonia digitata, Balanites aegyptiaca,
Borassus aethiopum, Hyphaene thebaica, Tamarindus
indica, Sclerocarya birrea.
 Research in IFTs
 ARO – FRC, Universities
Highlights
2.4 Tanzania
 About 700 IFTs
 Over 50 species marketable
 40 local markets
 Six in national markets - Vitex mombassae,
Vitex doniana, Adansonia digitata, Tamarindus
indica, Parinari curatellifonia, Strychnos
coccoloides
 Priority species - Parinari curatellifonia,
Strychnos coccoloides, Uapaka kirkiana, Vitex
mombassae, Vitex doniana.
 Research in IFTs
 ICRAF lead organization – ethno- botanical surveys,
germplasm collection and propagation, domestication.
 TAFORI
Highlights
3.0
Research Gaps
 Assessment of resource base including
information on fruit yields for economic
production
 Genetic diversity of important fruit trees.
 Studies on phenology, fruiting and reproductive
biology
 Studies into domestication (propagation,
improvement and silvicultural management)
 Integrated Pest Management
 Commercialization of indigenous fruits
(Efficient harvesting and post-harvest
handling methods to enhance preservation
and Value addition)
3.0 Use and Conservation of Indigenous Fruit Tree
Diversity for Improved Livelihoods in Eastern
Africa
Study – Kenya, Tanzania and Uganda (Sida-SAREC,
AFORNET)
3.1
Priority IFTs
 Objectives:
 Identify priority IFTs;
 Understand communities’ familiarity with IFTs
and their usage in periods of food shortage;
and
 Identify constraints and opportunities for
management and utilisation
 List of priority species and production areas
reviewed (Kenya and Tanzania); participatory
ranking through FGDs 10, 5 priority species
weighted ranking, 3 species - processing,
storage, marketing, conservation status and pest
and diseases
Highlights
 Priority IFTs varied by country;
 T. indica - top ranked IFT common in the three
countries,
 For collaboration a purpose, which was the major
aim of the project, 2 additional species selected
consultations with key national stakeholders
commonalities in the country, species lists and
other IFTs available in region but with demonstrated
potential
 Vitex doniana/payos/mombassae selected by farmers
in Uganda, Kenya and Tanzania
 Kenya and Uganda - V. doniana development
potential and is common in the two countries
 Tanzania selected V. mombassae since it was
priority IFT number one
 S. birrea more abundant 3 countries and given its
demonstrated potential in Southern Africa.
 All communities wealth of ITK on IFTs, passed on through
generations, oral knowledge
 IFTs – food shortage (alternative/complementary foods
- fruit, oil, juice, local brew and spices), sold as source
of income
Highlights
3.2
Market characteristics of indigenous tree fruits in
East Africa
 Objectives;




Identify supply situation of IFTs,
Establish their market preferences,
Establish pricing and price variables, and
Determine market outlets and their profit margins
 Supply sources
 IFTs - natural forests (Tanzania), farms and woodlands (Kenya
and Uganda).
 IFTs bear fruits once a year (though different times for sites)
and sold unprocessed making fruit supply seasonal
 Collection distances increasing overtime – clearance of
woodlands and forests
Highlights
 Market preferences
 T. indica marketed as first priority fruit, traded in local,
national and export markets; V. doniana/mombassea and S.
birrea marketed as second and third priority fruits and limited
to local markets
 Market preference and pricing for the three fruits dependent
on size, shape, taste and fruiting period;
 Bigger and oval or round fruits more preferred,
 Sour fruits for T. indica and sweet for S. birrea most
preferred. No particular preference for V. doniana or V.
mombassea .
 Late maturing T. indica and S. birrea but early maturing V.
doniana/mombassea most preferred.
 Pricing and price variables
 Prices - species, sizes, shape, taste and precocity
 Prices generally low <$0.5 kg
 Higher prices – size and taste
 Off season higher prices
Highlights
 Market outlets
 Market outlets – farm gate, local centers and towns,
 Transboundary and export trade T. indica
3.3 Lessons Learnt in the Management and Use of IFTs
 Most IFTs still found in the wild but area diminishing
settlement
 Low level of domestication - ability to grow naturally,
small land holdings
 Conservation measures – being left deliberately during
farm clearing (food, shade, soil fertility enhancement,
source of income)
 Communities wealth of ITK important in sound development
of IFTs
 Most IFTs potential for socioeconomic development of subregion improved livelihoods. Requirements;
 shorten tree height, increase growth rate, shorten juvenile phase,
increase pest and disease resistance and increase fruiting
frequency
 Improve fruit quality - fruit size, sweetness/sourness, increase
fruit pulp size, increase oil yield, increase fruit load per tree and
make the pulp more juicy
Acknowledgements
 Ethiopia - Demel Teketay and Abeje Eshete
(FRC-EARO)
 Kenya – Pauline Mbabu and Linus Wekesa
(KEFRI)
 Sudan - Bashir Awad El Tahir (ARO)
 Tanzania - C. Balama, Stephen M. Maduka
and L. Mbwambo (TAFORI)
 Uganda - C. A. Okia, V. I. Opolot and J. F. O.
Esegu (NaFORRI)
 Bioversity International - O. Eyog-Matig, M.
Mbogga and D. Kweka
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