Edible indigenous woody plants in the rural economy of the Nigerian forest zone

Abstract

The paper sets out the limits of the Nigerian forest zone as the area lying generally between latitude 4° 15′ and 8° N of the Equator, including the derived savanna zone. The present state of knowledge on the edible indigenous woody plants which occur naturally within the forest zone, with regard to their contributions to the diets and overall economy of local communities, is outlined. The results so far obtained in the four phases of the study currently undertaken are discussed. These phases include the identification and occurrence of plants with nutritional value, the development of propagation procedures for the selected plants, the compilation of phenological data, and the investigation of intraspecific variation of some principal species. The paper further elucidates the economic importance of the plants, which in addition to direct dietary benefits, includes cash revenue; significance in traditional farming practices; supply of timber, firewood, chewing sticks, fibres, drugs, dyes; socio-cultural roles; and religious purposes. Finally, against the background of what is known about edible indigenous woody plants, the attention is drawn to several research needs and priorities which ought to enhance their contributions to the economy of rural people in Nigeria.