Estimating the potential of wild foods for nutrition and food security planning in tropical areas: Experimentation with a method in Northwestern Colombia

Jeferson Asprilla-Perea,José M Díaz-Puente,Susana Martín-Fernández

doi:10.1007/s13280-021-01624-9

Jeferson Asprilla-Perea, José M Díaz-Puente + Show 1 more

Open Access

https://doi.org/10.1007/s13280-021-01624-9

Copy DOI

Abstract

Wild foods contribute to the food security of multiple communities in tropical areas of Africa, Asia and Latin America. However, wild foods are not regularly considered in the planning of strategies for food and nutrition security mainly due to the lack of technical and/or scientific knowledge so that they can be considered suitable for human consumption. This paper proposes a multidisciplinary method that estimates the potential of wild foods as alternative resources when planning interventions in favour of food and nutrition security in tropical forest territories. When designing the method, four dimensions were identified in science, technology and innovation (STI) that define this potential as well as ten assessment criteria. The wild foods chosen for applying the method were Alibertia patinoi (a fruit commonly known as Borojó) and Proechimys semispinosus (Mouse of thorns), which are two of the main wild foods traditionally used by human communities in a tropical forest territory in the northwest of Colombia. In both cases, although there are significant advances in STI, compliance with some criteria is still required to regard them as viable alternatives for nutrition and food security within this territory. This research is useful for promoting the inclusion of wild food in food security programmes for communities where this food is already included in their traditional pattern of consumption and identifies the progress needed in STI to achieve this purpose. It may also promote the early recognition of possible traditional and cultural practices with high risk of transmission of pathogenic elements by the handling and/or inadequate consumption of wild foods. This early recognition could contribute to the prevention of diseases of wild animal origin, including those of rapid global spread.

Highlights

Tropical forests provide many of the basic needs of nearly 800 million people that live in them (Groom and Palmer 2012; Kashwan and Holahan 2014), of which an estimated 38% are undernourished (FAO 2015)
The wild food fulfils the ten criteria defined in the method, which allows it to be considered a viable 4 MrC and 6 alternative when planning nutrition and food security in tropical forest territories
Food Ac ? VHP is important for the community that consumes it; has a nutritional value similar to or better than that of at least one non-wild food of the same group; its intake does not entail risks to human health; appropriate techniques for its sustainable use are known; and progress is made in the development of products with commercial potential

Summary

Introduction

Tropical forests provide many of the basic needs of nearly 800 million people that live in them (Groom and Palmer 2012; Kashwan and Holahan 2014), of which an estimated 38% are undernourished (FAO 2015) These forests are globally important for their high biodiversity and level of endemism (Malhi and Grace 2000; Groombridge and Jenkins 2002); the environmental services they provide, such as the capture and processing of significant amounts of carbon (Wright 2010); and the contributions to the diet of diverse communities through food obtained from domestic or wild species (Cruz et al 2013, 2014; AlvarezSalas 2014). Wild foods are food products obtained from non-domesticated species These products may be harvested (gathered or hunted) from within food and agricultural production systems or from other ecosystems (Heywood 1999; FAO 2019; Borelli et al 2020).

Methods

Results

Discussion

Conclusion