Z. mauritiana fruits in the lower Zambezi Valley, Zimbabwe: uses and contribution to the income of harvesting households

Abstract

In the Lower Zambezi Valley, most households have recently become food insecure. More than 80% of the households are now collecting fruits of Ziziphus mauritiana as one of their main sources of food and income. The main objective of this study was to determine the contribution of Z mauritiana products to household income in the Lower Zambezi Valley, Zimbabwe. One hundred collector households were interviewed with a semi-structured questionnaire. A linear regression model was used to determine the factors affecting the ratio of income derived from Z. Mauritiana to total household income. Our results revealed that Z. mauritiana fruits are mainly sold for cash, brewed into alcoholic beverage and barter traded against various commodities. The contribution of Z. mauritiana fruits to household income vary significantly according to uses (P<0.05). Family size, quantity of fruits harvested, and the maximum distance travelled to harvest the fruits, significantly affect the contribution of Z. mauritiana to household income. In order for Z. mauritiana to better contribute to mitigating poverty and land degradation in the marginalised areas of the Lower Zambezi Valley, research aimed at improving the quality and yield of Z. mauritiana, and development of programmes aimed at domesticating the species, should be promoted.