Ethnobotanical knowledge on indigenous fruits in Ohangwena and Oshikoto regions in Northern Namibia

Abstract

BackgroundIndigenous communities in Namibia possess a rich indigenous knowledge expressed within many practices of these communities. Indigenous wild edible fruits are available along the Namibian 13 regions of which it forms a rich source of vitamins, fibres, minerals and a heterogeneous collection of bioactive compounds referred to as phytochemicals for indigenous people’s diet. The aim of this study was to record the different IKS practices on the indigenous fruit trees in Ohangwena and Oshikoto regions of Namibia.MethodsAn ethnobotanical survey was undertaken to collect information from local communities from 23-29 October 2011. Data was collected through the use of questionnaires and personal interviews during field trips in the Ohangwena and Oshikoto regions. A total of 65 respondents were interviewed; 54%; women, 38%; men and 8%; both in group interviews.ResultsThe majority of the people interviewed were in their thirty’s, with the youngest being 18 years old and the oldest being 98 years old. Forty three plant specimens were collected from the two regions; these specimens belong to 20 genera and 25 species. Regarding to the indigenous knowledge; 87%; of the respondents indicated that their knowledge on indigenous fruits was learnt mainly through their parent. Indigenous people’s perception on declining indigenous fruits revealed that 56.3%; of the respondents reported that indigenous fruits were declining. Only a 42.2%; indicated that the indigenous fruits populations are increasing. Regarding to the management practices to improve the production of these indigenous fruit trees; 38.6%; reported that there are some efforts on management practices; on the other hand 61.4%; reported there are no management practices on the indigenous fruit trees in their areas. Four species were found to be the most frequently used and mentioned fruits which need to be given high preference in terms of conservation are: Berchemia discolor, Hyphaene petersiana, Sclerocarya birrea and Diospyros mespiliformis. The following diseases and ailments have been reported to be treated by the indigenous fruit trees which include: toothache, diarrhoea, cough, tonsillitis, burns, skin allergy, stomach ache, snake bit, constipation, etc. 28%; of the respondents mentioned an ethno veterinary use(s) of these fruits, e.g. the use of the Ziziphus mucronata roots to treat diarrhoea in cattle, the bark of eembe (Berchemia discolor) to treat calf weakness.ConclusionsThe local communities in Oshikoto and Ohangwena regions have relatively good knowledge and practices regarding the indigenous fruit. This study enhances our understanding on the indigenous fruit in Namibia and their uses by local communities.

Ethnic and generational differences in traditional knowledge and cultural importance of <i>Lannea microcarpa<i/> Engl. & K. Krause in Benin’s Sudanian savannah

“…Because of their importance, there is increasing interest in the management of IFT natural populations to sustain their provisioning ecosystem services. For this goal and because traditional knowledge (TK) on local resources is important for their sustainable use and conservation (Luoga et al, 2000), many ethnobotanical and ethno-ecological studies have addressed the importance of IFT for livelihoods (Cheikhyoussef and Embashu, 2013;Seyoum et al, 2015). Other studies have focused on the management and conservation of IFT (Gouwakinnou et al, 2011;Seyoum et al, 2015) and how both are related to socio-economic, socio-demographic and geographical contexts in tropical regions.…”

Current outlook and future promise of ethnobotany in Nigeria: A review and personal observation

“…basic (documentation of traditional botanical knowledge) (Liengme, 1983;Bhat et al, 1990;Cheikhyoussef and Embashu, 2013); quantitative (evaluation of use-values, relative use-values, proportion of agreement, and preference ranking) (Phillips and Gentry, 1993a, b;Assogbadjo et al, 2011;Avocevou-Ayisso et al, 2011); experimental (assessment of benefits, hypothesis testing and prediction) (Soleri and Smith, 1995;Albuquerque, 2006;Alencar et al, 2009); and applied (practical application of ethnobotanical information in areas such as pharmaceutical prospecting and conservation biology) (Gustafson et al, 1992;Cox, 1994). However, six fields of study (botany, anthropology, ecology, ethnopharmacology, linguistics and economics) are recognized (Martin, 1995;Cotton, 1996).…”

Contribution of Schinziophyton rautanenii to Sustainable Diets, Livelihood Needs and Environmental Sustainability in Southern Africa

“…Therefore, the fruits of S. rautanenii constitute an important food source in Southern Africa, regarded as an essential component of the diet of some people in the region, especially the poor and those living in marginalized areas. Fruits and nuts of S. rautanenii are also widely used in Botswana, Malawi, Mozambique, Namibia, Zambia and Zimbabwe [12,[15][16][17][18][19][20] as a strategy by the rural people to reduce food insecurity and as an important source of supplementary food particularly during drought.…”