期刊名称：The Journal of Sustainable Development in Africa (JSDA)
电子版ISSN：1520-5509
出版年度：2011
卷号：13
期号：5
出版社：Institute of Sustainable Development in Africa
摘要：The harvesting of indigenous fruit trees (IFTs) from the forests pre-dated settled agriculture and presents a valuable
source of livelihood enhancement, food supplement, and cash income for the rural poor. Despite the importance of
indigenous fruit trees there has been lack of will to promote their domestication and commercialisation. In Buhera, the
marginalisation of IFTs has resulted in the collapse of traditional seed banks, reduced farm biodiversity, poorer diets,
decreased food security, and declining cultural tradition. Deforestation and increasing population in the study area is
causing IFTs to recede with serious environmental and socio-economic consequences on the availability of wild fruits,
medicinal plants and other plant products. This has exposed the most vulnerable segment of the population, especially
women, the aged, the poor and children to malnutrition and reduced income, as traditionally their livelihoods partly
depend on these forest products. The research utilised both qualitative and quantitative research methodologies. The
research noted that the contribution of IFTs to many farmers’ livelihood is often not acknowledged in either local or
national level poverty reduction strategies. Current agricultural data tend to focus on a narrow range of exotic fruits such
as citrus, avocado, guava and mango. Existing information on ITFs are often not presented in income related terms used
in policy debates, nor are they linked to simple policy recommendations. The role of IFTs could be enhanced if improved
varieties and production, harvesting, and storage techniques could be made available to the rural poor. There is need for
consideration in which it is possible to identify traditional fruits which are becoming marginalised; how much diversity
occurs within them; and evaluate their productive and genetic potentials, postharvest requirements, processing and
marketing potentials. A large amount of knowledge on the opportunities, challenges, knowledge gaps, and constraints of
IFTs should be gathered and this information will assist to devise strategies necessary to meet food requirements of
people through IFTs. Thus, increased emphasis should be placed on tree domestication strategies product development,
commercialisation and marketing of agro-forestry tree products.
关键词：Indigenous Fruit Trees, Edible Fruits, Species Diversity, Agro-Forestry, Zimbabwe
