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8/1/1984 - A “Minor” Forest Product? by Paula Williams

NOT FOR PUBLICATION WITHOUT WRITER S CONSENT INSTITUTE OF CURRENTWORLD AFFAIRS PJW Bobo Dioulasso Bourkina Faso Ninor Forest Produc formerly Upper Volta O August Mr Peter Bird Martin Executive Director Institute Current World Affairs West Wheelock Street Hanover NH 03755 USA Dear Peter If adage trees This question I giving thought recently I started examine trees shrubs human This question important Africa received attention merits Do Africans really trees Well Obviously woody materials indigestible But woody parts trees shrubs digestible As United States ligneous woody species provide edible fruits seeds berries In addition Africans flowers leaves trees shrubs Other parts roots young shoots employ various African cuisine A variety species consumed Africa The importance trees shrubs human diets quite different Africa United States In States people engage blueberry picking expeditions pleasurable outing The collected berries provide suplemem contribute overall enhancement quality But generally speaking average American comsumers obtain their fruits supermarkets In Africa comtrast foods different significance While Fro8ucs undoubtedly procured rural inhabitants during briefperiods seasonally available ohers local urban markets fresh processed forms throughout figure signifioanly erage diets local economies Many trees shrubs provide these resources located intenslvely managed plantatloms extenslvely managed scattered lecatioms along creeks household Paula J Williams Forest Society Fellow Institute Current World Affairs studying human forest resources Saharan Africa compounds around people fields Although foresters categorized forest resources human minor forest product seriously considered importance trees shrubs human diets human other woody products produce Woody species provide resources addition fibers other materials construction crafts textiles traditional medicines spiritual ritual ments humans livestock fauna elements ecosystems This vegetation important human societies producing variety resources functioning integral components ecosystems permit maintenance conservation ecological stability hence production other resources agricultural crops livestock To information gathered importance these woody forest product human societies As several authors noted there currently exist numerous descriptive inventories woody shrub species Existing information generally limited leaves fruits Species X edible leaves important preparing traditional medicine Dis Y making baskets What lacking serious analysis extent importance these woody trees shrubs Naydell Poulsen Taylor Through Sahelian countries West Africa trees shrubs important human diets Needy vegetation numerous indirect roles provision human foodstuffs Trees shrubs significant roles agriculmral systems minimizing water erosion improving Soil quality fixing nitrogen adding organic material improving water absorption capacity Ligneous species provide habitat forage livestock other fauna inclu insects which people obtain Trees shrubs contribute development micro climates other ecological conditions allow growth other species consumed people mushrooms Poulsen In talking local forestry managers researchers examining forestry literature available I discovered little seems Be known about amemnt human obtained directly trees shrus important foods sources revenue exception studies individual species information which species purposes where quantities never Been obtained Very often assumed shrub foods miner significance foods example supplementary items emergency reserves times scarcity failure Since little known about extent their usage assumption their minor significance unwarranted In study Tanzania Anne Fleuret found leafy plants consti important integral daily diets These plants comprised fifths leafy green vegetables eaten consumed almost meals As Sahel countries these vegetables serve important accompanies starchy staple It plants particularly trees shrubs eaten greater frequen West Africa commonly asked Researchers already aware large number woody species found Sahelian countries known edible Hans Jhrgen Maydell analyzed I14 differ species trees shrubs found Sahel which species thought great importauce additional species limited importance human diets Fred R Weber noted species commonly found West Africa known edible Marim Terrible examined species trees shrubs Upper Volta third these Irving remarked West Africans types fruit Georges Savonmet found Lobi people north Ivory Coast southwestern Upper Volta fruits different species Of plants general Franklim W Martin Rmth M Rmbert noted Africans ifferent species Von Maydell umderlined priority trees shrubs Sahellam populations He writes first qesion posed By imhabitamts Sahel desire imform themselves utility forestry meares When trees Maydell translation original French Other foresters found major factor assessimg value species Im forestry projects throughout Africa development planners local people trees would prefer plant locals generally edible fruit bearing secies Although Africans stress values trees these their considerations As Maydell others argued majority these species multiple thatke valuable local populations often edible species important medical appreciated animals people Many important fabrication textiles baskets other tools daily Others particular cultural religious signi ficance Some trees shrubs valued local people other prposes For example flowered kapok B costatum important commercially because produces kapok fibers stuffing pillows mattresses In addition flowers fruits eaten humans animals As available evidence suggests trees shrubs important lives African peoples parti cularly those Sahelian countries West Africa Data exist however would allow managers development planners meaningfully assess impor tance edible woody species given group people particular estimate alternative management strategies might affect local diets This knowledge seems particularly serious omission light African development priorities Many experts believe major problem confronting African countries provision adequate their growing populations The problem generally considered shortage cultivated foods In reading popular press easily impression Africans cereal crops millet alone Discussions national sufficiency stress agricultural development Consideration foods erennial woody species minimal But difficult meaningfully assess whether population receiving quate daily nutritional intake information exists mangoes soumbala butter based sauces enter average Why researchers little about which local populations utilize shrub species their diets Perhap because research approaches inadequate understanding indigenous knowledge patterns It seems weaknesses research efforts carefully considered order suggest current knowledge One reason Western tralned researchers little about ligneous species human undoubtedly these researchers caned world Believing people obtain their agriculture grazing livestock except remnant groups hunter gatherer peoples still existing experts focused their attention cultivated crops livestock Trees shrubs interest primarily where constitute commercial crops coffee cashew fruit planta tions Such crops often considered concerto horticulturalists rather agriculturalists foresters A research arises emphasis foods enter market sector An assumption people increasingly obtaining their foods buying It certainly easier economists trace production tribution foods price quantity indicators importance foods Even researchers other disciplines foods Thus example while nutrition value tomato paste content edible leaves shrubs never assessed Some important species baobab Adansonia digitata tamarind Tarindus indica leaves See example Giffard discussion A third weakness exists discipline concerned woody species forestry Foresters attention trees shrubs because until recently focused growing In response energy crisis Th World foresters expanded their efforts producing merely timber producing firewood The first forestry development projects Sahelian countries response drought decade industrial plantations supposedly growing introduced species Eucalyptus species Gmelina arborea These industrial plantations generally located classified national forest designed firewood urban populations A second projects known community village woodlot projects followed These projects tended stress introduced firewood species supposed projects rural residents trees supposedly planted communal village Learning their experiences these first types projects development foresters increasingly recognizing Sahelians trees single purpose firewood concern Consequently third fourth waves fores projects based concepts forestry combining trees agricultural pastoral systems natural forest management management existing native vegeta flora cited possible strategies begin expand forestry encompass roles trees shrubs duction Catterson Weber Weber Hoskins Jackson Taylor CondO Wane ational Academy Sciences Fou trees shrubs bably escaped research attention because people primarily involved these activities women As volumous literature testifies women major roles producing processing cooking societies world Much research however traditionally focused farmers commercial transactions agricultural forestr researchers development experts themselves The field nutrition contrast traditionally emphasized women In recent years involve women agricultural activities received increasing attention Te forestry research examined women activities primarily dealt women firewood rather Hoskins Williams Feed Agriculture Organization A final reason knowledge trees shrubs human diets nature activity itself Just because shrub edible necessarily given person group people Food consumption shaped variety factors Some these factors fairly utilitarian taste nutritional value preparation availabil Other factors symbolic loaded social cultural meaning Thus example consumption reflect social tatus serve means group identifica Within society people observe certain taboos Although learned about underlying social patterns studying consumption research typically requires detailed field studies Some research undertaken anthropologists working diverse special symbolic anthropology comparative sociology ethno botany indigineous botanical classification systems cultural ecology This generally focus shrub foods widely known among applied researchers Some important researchers include Mary Douglas Douglas Isherwood Douglas Wildav Jack Goody Eugene Hunn Williams Hunn Since consumption patterns expressive cultural patterns difficult people explain exactly Eating daily activity patterns consumption habitual people consciously think about great Certain foods consumed often considered important Thus example Bourkina Faso formerly Upper Volta rural residents consider proper consist ta__o thick cooked millet sorghum porridge sauce If people might reply Tao gumbo sauce Unless explicitly question about fruits beverages consumed unlike mention these foods Perhaps because fruits drinks considered incidental snacks rather parts meals To fully understand extent which foods trees shrubs necessary probe deeper eating patterns If woman about things consumed during course ingredients learn example fruits Butyro parkii morning working field brought butter utilized cooking erhaps local fermented local Sclerocarya hirrea By asking about ingredients gumbo sauce learn cultivated millet gumbos The often cooked digestible commonly acids lemon juice tamarind juice tamarind fruit tamarind leaves leaves other species The sauce probably cntains addition gumbos butter soumbala condiment fermented seeds Park globos peppers other seasonings Thus shrubs foods important their initial responses would believe As preceding example suggests research needed overcome previous limitations contribute profound understanding which woody species human diets extent their actual usage Such research might prove useful suggesting development management strategies increasing resources obtained locally valued species contributing larger development objectives fficiency security Various authors suggested number research priorities Eost oresters interested woody forest product agree information needed amounts these foods consumed estimates their economic values The quantities prices produce local markets needs assessed compared amounts consumed people their homes Poulsen Maydell The spatial temporal aspects these resources merit close investigation Do people procure these resources shrubs their court yards their fields along streams classified national forests other locations How their homes people various foods How spatial occurence species ecological climatic conditions social cultural conditions How availability these foods seasons seasonal workloads rural residents seasonal availability other resources firewood Are certain foods special occasions How utilization trees shrubs space other resource Practices Pelissier Pulsen I81 It important these resources which groups people Certain foods eaten groups people For example fruits eaten primarily children often family stock during Fleuret Savonnet Do people uilize shrub foods access types resources agriculural fields stock poorer people Smale Fleuret Do people specialize these activities Hew practices differen culal ethnic groups living ecosystems compare Once researchers begin understand involved these patterns resource indinous systems shrub management studied What people manage productivity these woody species Do people plant trees protect existing trees against livestock grazing fires transplant trees engage ether tices How choose these strategies relation their other needs forest forest rsseurces How knowledge these species their locations management strategies transmitted Pllssier Marchand Maydell Williams Perhaps social cultural dimensions roses trees shrubs understood chances design successful forestry development projects enhan It prove possible answer question If trees shrubs This question I begun ponder Does eating parts trees shrubs ledgeable knowing which species edible where lacking money other sources alternative foods traditional thrifty mizing reliance market foods perhaps patriotic reducing f0reign exchange spent imported foods I I answer question months ahead I continue investigations forest resource Bu I understand impor tance trees shrubs human diets Africa certainly provide thought Sincerely Pamla J Williams Ferest Seciety Fellew NOTES On Augus Republic Upper Volta changed Bourkina Faso The citizens country longer Volaics Bourkinabe In I country existed which I refer I Recently researchers replaced minor forest products secondary forest products woody forest products woody forest produce suggest these products minor Authors however differ extent which utilize refer woody products found rests including example fauna refer woody products derived trees shrubs irrespective whether trees shrubs located forests In discussion I latter connotation Unfortunately exactly clear Maydell ranked importance rious species His authorative summary existing information Sahelian species builds subjective assess ments experts subject His summary tables importance various species various entirely internally consistent compare example rankings importance species found table PP those table Von Maydell acknowledges objective research these trees shrubs For example Captain Thomas Sankara Presi Head State Upper Volta stated sufficiency number priority Upper Volta In address August occasion first anniversary Popular Democratic Revolu Sankara stated agriculture motor development While stress reforestation trees shrubs priority issue production AC0WLEDGEMETS I appreciate assistance provided George F Taylor II working literature review George kindly discussed ideas woody forest products documentation cener Sahel Development Planning Team NSAID Bamako Mali disposal couple His colleague Emmy Simmons provided useful Sugestlons LITERATURE CITED Catterson Thomas M The AID Forestry Program Africa A Status Report Paper prepared USAID Bureau Africa Forestry Program Evaluation Workshop Lome Togo May Douglas Mary danger analysis concepts pollution taboo London Routledge Kegan Paul Implicit Meanings Essays Anthropology Boston Rout ledge Kegan Paul Douglas Mary Isherwood Baron The World goods towards anthropology consumption New York W W Norton Co Douglas Mary Wildavsky Aaron Risk culture essay selection technological environmental dangers Berkeley Univ Calif Press Fleuret Anne The foliage plants study shoto Tanzania Ecology Food Nutrition Methods evaluation fruits greens Shambaa study Medical Anthropology Food Agriculture Organization United Nations Women production handling nutrition special emphasis Africa FA0 Food Nutrition Paper A report P rotein Calorie Advisory Group Of United Nations System Rome FAG Giffard P L L arbre paysage sngalais sylviculture tropicale Dakar Centre Technique Forestier Tropical Hoskins arilyn W Women forestry local community development grammlng Grant AID OTR Washington D C Office Wmem Development U S Agency In national Develpment women forestry outputs forestry projects Draft paper Rome Forestry Dept FA0 Irvimg F R The indigenous plants West African peoples Journal York Botamlcal Garden Jacksom J K Taylor G F CondO Wane C Management atural Forest Sahel Region Washington D C Forestry Support Program USAID Marchal Jean Yves Arbres Brousses passage soudano sahellen dynamlque formations egetales Haute Volta Cahiers O R S T M Sei Hum PJW II Martin Franklin W Rubert Ruth M Edible leaves tropics Ed Mayagez Institute Tropical Agriculture Mayagez Puerto Rice Agricultural Research Service Southern Region U S Dept Agriculture National Academy Sciences Agroforestry West African Sahel Advisory Committee Sahel Board Science Technology Interna tional Development Office International Affairs U S Research Council Washington D C Nat Academy Press Pelissier Paul L arbre paysages agraires Afrique Noire Cah R S T M Sci Hum XVII Poulsen Gunnar Important forest products Africa other extractives preliminary study Consultant report Rome FA0 Savonnet Georges L arbre fruit petit berger Lobl Cah R S T M Sci Hum XVII Smale Melinda Untitled draft paper forestry project Brakna Region Mauritania USAID Taylor George F II Personal communication June Bamako Sahel Development Planning Team USAID Terrible Marin P B Essai ecologie sociologie arbres arbustes Haute Volta Bobo Dioulasso Libraire Savane Maydell H J Arbres arbustes Sahel leurs caract rlstiques leurs utilizations Schriftenreihe GTZ No Eschborn GTZ Weber Fred R Reforestation lands VITA Man Ser No Mt Rainier MD Volunteers Technical Assistance Review CILSS Forestry Sector Program Analysis Papers Arlington VA Forestry Support Program USDA USAID Weber Fred Hoskins Marilyn Agroforestry Sahel concept paper based Niamey Agroforestry Seminar May June Blacks VA Virginia Polytechnic Institute Williams Nancy M Hunn Eugene S Eds Resource managers North American Australian hunter gatherers AAAS Selected Symposium Boulder Westview Press Williams Paula J Women forest resources theoretical perspective IN Women natural resources international perspective M Stock J E Force D Ehrenreich Moscow Idaho Forest Wildlife Range Exp Sta Univ Idaho Williams Paula J The social organization firewood procurement Africa division labor Unpublished Ph D thesis Univ Washington Seattle Received Hanover