Improved management and utilisation of Eastern Africa indigenous fruit trees.

A Research Project Funded by the Leverhulme Trust, UK

CONTRACT No F/00 174/K

Duration: 3 years, 1st April 2007 - 31th March 2010.

PhD Students

1. Mr. Abbas Hassan Ali, Sudan, e-mail: abbas_hassanali@yahoo.com

2. Mr. Dino Andrew Woiso, Tanzania, e-mail: dinusandrew@yahoo.com

3. Mr. James Kimondo, Kenya, e-mail: jmkimondo59@yahoo.co.uk

4. Mr. Musa Mohamed, Ethiopia, e-mail: musmoh220@yahoo.co.uk

5. Mr. Okia Clement Akais, Uganda, e-mail: okia@forest.mak.ac.ug

HOST INSTITUTIONS

Background

Indigenous fruit trees play a crucial role in Eastern Africa in tempering the effects of climate in addition to providing a wide range of products. Indigenous fruit trees are essential, because they provide important nutrients and vitamins to diets that are dominated by cereals, because many of them produce fruits during the late dry season and early wet season, when stocks of cereal crops usually are low, and because they provide a source of income. Due to increased human and livestock population pressures, these tree resources are, however, continuously being destroyed. This research project aims to investigate and develop methods of improving the management and utilisation of selected indigenous fruit tree species of economic value through the participation of local communities. Among the indigenous fruit tree species of Eastern Africa, The Desert date (Balanites aegyptiaca), African Fan Palm (Borassus aethiopum),Yeheb (Cordeauxia edulis), Marula (Sclerocarya birrea) and Chocolate Berry (Vitex payos) rank high in local people's preferences and in national priorities for domestication in Uganda, Sudan, Ethiopia, Tanzania and Kenya, respectively and these are targeted in the present research project.

Objectives of the Project
The research project has five objectives.
Objective 1: to analyse traditional knowledge and local constraints and opportunities and develop strategies for improved management and use of selected indigenous fruit trees of economic value.
Specific objectives:
1. To acquire, document and evaluate local people's use and management of the selected indigenous fruit trees;
2. To assess the development potential of the selected indigenous fruit tree species to improve livelihoods of the population;
3. To establish local people's criteria for selection of trees that possess good quality fruits;
4. To evaluate institutional and legal opportunities and constraints for domestication of the selected indigenous fruit trees;
5. To recommend options for community-based tree management and livelihood improvements at community level.

Objective 2: to enhance fruit production and quality of the selected indigenous tree species through plus tree selection and domestication in collaboration with farmers.
Specific objectives:
1. To select plus trees of the selected indigenous fruit species that possess superior attributes using the farmers' selection criteria;
2. To develop efficient and low technology vegetative propagation methods to improve tree growth and fruit production of the superior quality trees of the selected indigenous fruit tree species; and
3. To produce improved planting materials of the superior quality trees of the selected indigenous fruit trees species using the vegetative propagation methods developed.

Objective 3: to develop improved tree seed and seedling distribution systems, facilitating better access of farmers to improved indigenous fruit tree germplasm.
The specific objectives are:
1. To survey planting practices by farmers;
2. To test alternative pathways for germplasm distribution of indigenous fruit trees;
3. To give recommendations for improved and sustainable germplasm distribution systems.

Objective 4: to develop appropriate village level processing technologies and improved market possibilities for fruits of the selected indigenous fruit trees, thus increasing the value added and income from the fruits.
The specific objectives are:
1. To undertake studies and develop improved post-harvesting technologies including improved storage and transformation of fruits;
2. To assess the market potential for fruits and fruit products of the selected indigenous trees;
3. To analyse current marketing practices (including marketing channels, harvesting, storage and processing) of the fruits and fruit products; and
4. To develop guidelines for market strategies to successfully market fruit and fruit products from the selected indigenous trees.

Objective 5: to disseminate results of the project to a wide range of stakeholders, including farmers, technicians, scientists and policymakers.
Specific objectives:
1. To ensure that project results are disseminated to all potential stakeholders;
2. To ensure an effective exchange of information and data with other groups researching similar topics in Eastern Africa and elsewhere;
3. To ensure the widest-possible uptake of the results through the involvement of farmer groups, NGOs and SMEs.

Expected results and importance for Sub-Saharan Africa

The above five indigenous fruit tree species have been chosen both because of their local and regional importance, and because they have potential to serve as models for diversifying income and improving livelihoods of local people. The chosen tree species are currently underutilised either because of sub-optimal management or because the full genetic potential is not exploited. Most of them remain semi or undomesticated and have not been objects of scientific study until fairly recently. These are native tree species providing fruits that are used and traded locally and internationally. The use of such species for diversifying income and improving the livelihoods of rural people and at the same time ensuring environmental sustainability and reversing the loss of biodiversity is innovative. The project will build knowledge that contributes to improvement of indigenous fruit trees, better access by farmers to improved tree germplasm, and better markets for the fruits. The ultimate goal of the project is that local people will apply this knowledge to diversify their income and improve their livelihoods.