Wild Edible Fruits: A Systematic Review of an Under-Researched Multifunctional NTFP (Non-Timber Forest Product)

Sardeshpande, Mallika; Shackleton, Charlie M.

doi:10.3390/f10060467

Cited by 83 publications

(62 citation statements)

References 203 publications

(325 reference statements)

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“…Increasing evidence suggests that the quality and quantity of chemical metabolites in plants are influenced by a multitude of factors especially the environmental conditions (Ncube, Finnie, & Van Staden, 2012). b. Indiscriminate and illegal logging: Indiscriminate cutting of trees is a common act in the rural communities in Africa, and this has immeasurably contributed to the depletion of the population of indigenous fruit trees (Sardeshpande & Shackleton, 2019). This unregulated tree felling may be attributed to poverty, food insecurity, and high rate of unemployment among the young populations (Baldermann et al, 2016).…”

Section: With Unlocking the Potential Of The 10 Selected Indigenous Fmentioning

confidence: 99%

Underutilized African indigenous fruit trees and food–nutrition security: Opportunities, challenges, and prospects

Omotayo

Aremu

2020

Food and Energy Security

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The diverse range of indigenous fruit trees in Africa is a source of untapped potential for food and nutrition security. Here, we review information on 10 indigenous fruit trees that are considered to be underutilized and explore their occurrence, distribution, nutritional components, phytochemicals, and medicinal potentials, as well as their associated challenges and prospects. The indigenous fruit trees, which occur across different ecological zones in Africa, are rich sources of vitamins, minerals, protein, and valuable phytochemicals. They also have recognized medicinal value and used as diverse therapeutic remedies by many ethnic groups in Africa. The key challenges to fruit tree sustainability include indiscriminate and illegal logging, low accessibility, and low acceptability, as well as inadequate research on their cultivation. We proposed a scheme to increase the value chain of underutilized fruit trees, which can contribute to the livelihoods of smallholder farmers and other stakeholders mainly through income generation. In addition to the concerted efforts of multidisciplinary research teams encompassing plant breeders, botanists, molecular biologists, food scientists, and horticulturists, there is an urgent need for governments and other international stakeholders to provide incentives and encourage the domestication, commercialization, and agro‐processing of underutilized fruit trees for future economic prosperity of Africa.

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Section: With Unlocking the Potential Of The 10 Selected Indigenous Fmentioning

confidence: 99%

Underutilized African indigenous fruit trees and food–nutrition security: Opportunities, challenges, and prospects

Omotayo

Aremu

2020

Food and Energy Security

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“…The study area, the Indian Ocean Coastal Belt (IOCB), is host to rich biodiversity [56] and dense human population, is undergoing rapid land cover change [57], and urban foraging is highly prevalent in this region (Sardeshpande and Shackleton unpublished data). We focus on the planting and foraging of wild edible fruit species, because they are (i) widely foraged globally [58], within South Africa [59], and in the study area (Sardeshpande and Shackleton unpublished data), (ii) commonly found in the wild as well as in human-dominated landscapes including agroforestry systems, home gardens, and urban green spaces [60], (iii) significant contributors to nutrition and income across the socioeconomic and rural-urban gradient [23], (iv) often resilient to climatic and harvesting pressures [61], and (v) potentially important to urban biodiversity, particularly frugivores and pollinators [62]. South Africa is among the most unequal economies in the world ( [63], p. 21), with a quarter of its population living below the food poverty line ( [63], p. 14).…”

Section: Study Areamentioning

confidence: 99%

“…debarking, lopping). This is empirically true [61,106], but different species respond differently to varying degrees of harvest [62], and therefore all stakeholders should be equipped with knowledge on best practices including lowimpact harvest and the quantities that may be safely harvested for each species. In some cases, locals who have used the species over generations may already possess appropriate traditional knowledge about sustainable harvest [107].…”

Section: Plos Onementioning

confidence: 99%

Urban foraging: Land management policy, perspectives, and potential

Sardeshpande

Shackleton

2020

PLoS ONE

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Gathering of uncultivated food from green spaces, also known as foraging, is observed in urban areas across the world, but the literature focuses predominantly on the global north. Our study examines the existing urban land management structure and its approach to urban foraging in the eastern coastal region of South Africa. Through interviews with municipal officials in nine cities, we identified different stakeholders and their roles in urban green space management. We then used network analysis to represent interactions and influence of these stakeholders, and environmental worldviews to determine organisational and perceptual barriers to and enablers of foraging in urban green spaces. The policy on urban green space management, as well as land managers themselves are amenable to the concept of foraging in public spaces. Lack of knowledge on wild indigenous species and sustainable offtake, ambiguous, coarse, or lacking policy, and normative views of pristine nature may hinder foraging. We recommend pathways for policy and stakeholder partnerships to incorporate sustainable foraging in their biodiversity conservation and land stewardship strategies.

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“…Thus, WETs are an important source of sustenance for many people in developing countries [6,14], improving household food security under normal circumstances as well as during crop scarcity periods [15][16][17] in urban and rural contexts [18]. Furthermore, WETs can represent important sources of income for their users [19,20].…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Ethnobotanical Survey of Wild Edible Fruit Tree Species in Lowland Areas of Ethiopia

Dejene

Agamy

Agúndez

et al. 2020

Forests

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This study aimed to provide baseline information about wild edible tree species (WETs) through surveying of different ethnic groups in dryland areas in Ethiopia. Here the data about WETs are scant, and WETs status is unexplained under the rampant habitat degradation. Use forms, plant parts used, status, ethnobotanical knowledge, conservation needs as well as those threats affecting WETs were reviewed. The study identified 88 indigenous wild edible plants, of which 52 species were WETs. In most cases, fruits were found as the dominant use part, and they were used as raw but were occasionally cooked and preserved. Roots and bark uses are also reported from Ximenia americana and Racosperma melanoxylon respectively. June, July and August were critical periods observed for food shortage in most of the regions. However, in the Gambella region, food shortages occurred in most months of the year. The respondents in this region suggested that WETs could potentially provide them with enough food to make up for the shortage of food from conventional agricultural crops. From the respondents’ perception, Opuntia ficus-indica, Carissa edulis and Ficus vasta were among the most difficult to locate species, and they also received the highest conservation attention. Because of the variety of WETs and existing different threats, a management strategy is required for future conservation, as WETs are vital for the livelihood of local communities and are also necessary to devise a food security strategy for Ethiopia. The lesson obtained could also be useful in other dryland parts in developing countries with similar contexts.

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Wild Edible Fruits: A Systematic Review of an Under-Researched Multifunctional NTFP (Non-Timber Forest Product)

Cited by 83 publications

References 203 publications

Underutilized African indigenous fruit trees and food–nutrition security: Opportunities, challenges, and prospects

Underutilized African indigenous fruit trees and food–nutrition security: Opportunities, challenges, and prospects

Urban foraging: Land management policy, perspectives, and potential

Ethnobotanical Survey of Wild Edible Fruit Tree Species in Lowland Areas of Ethiopia

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