140 Potential for development and conservation of Dacryodes edulis
US$490. The government, however, charges US$10 per annum as concession
fee for the extraction of non-timber forest products (NTFPs).
Unlike most NTFPs, the harvesting of D. edulis fruits does not involve physical
removal of individual trees, but the propagules are removed and carried away
from the production site. Okafor (1998) asserted that wild D. edulis trees
could reach reproductive maturity in 10 to 15 years, although pruned cultivated
trees have fruited within three years and unpruned cultivated trees could
take five years before fruiting (Aiyelaagbe et.al. 1998).
Like most tree growth and production, the trend of fruit production is
expected to increase with age, before declining. Aiyelaagbe et al. (1998)
reported a significant decline in production after 60 years. Since the majority
of the current stock of production is old and improved varieties of the species
are uncommon, the population of D. edulis in the production area may be
declining.Raw material producers and socio-economic context
The average household size in Ona and Akpobi villages is seven people, no
fewer than 40% of them engaged in D. edulis production. The average annual
household income in Sakpoba Forest Reserve is about US$500, a little higher
than the national average of US$490. Close to 40% of the annual household
income is integrated into the cash economy of the communities. Fifty percent
of household members are involved in production, while only 30% are involved
in marketing. The average annual income of D. edulis producer households in
the study area is US$650 with 5% contribution from D. edulis. These household
collect other NTFPs as well, including Xylopia aethiopica, Garcinia kola, Irvingia
gabonensis, Irvingia wombulu, Piper guinensis, Aframomum melagueta,
Pentaclethra macrophylla and Treculia africana among others. NTFPs
production continues to be on the increase, and producers enjoy medium
class status within the community.
The contribution of D. edulis to the rural economy is primarily based on
the income it generates through fruit sales, but the total amount of cash that
exchanging hands is difficult to ascertain. Likewise, the value of such a product
is unquantifiable. For example, the leaves and seed kernels are useful as
animal feed and the species has other cultural uses such as to portray hospitality
or hostility to visitors in certain parts of Iboland (south-east Nigeria) and for
oracle divination (Okafor 1979).
Fruit collection, both in the wild and on planted farms, is labour dependent.
The labour requirement for collection and packing of a 100 kg bag is about
three man-days (Adewusi personal communication). Unlike in the introduced
cash/industrial monocrop or plantation crops such as cocoa, coffee, kola and
cashew, where there are producers’ association, there are no established
producers’ groups for the majority of indigenous fruits. Individual farmers
may belong to various co-operative societies and non-governmental institutions
such as the Farmers’ Development Union or the Farmers’ Association of Nigeria,
yet specific crop or farm produce associations are rare among farmers. Informal
associations may exist, however, among the brokers and distributors who trade
in the fruits. Using the level of participation of farmers in similar societies,08dacryodes.p65 140 22/12/2004, 11:05