142 Potential for development and conservation of Dacryodes edulis
An average of 12 producers were observed to trade D. edulis in local markets
per period (day), with an average of 37.5 twenty-five kg bags or baskets per
market period. During the peak period, a bag or basket sold for between N95
and N170 at the farm gate and increased to N100 to N160 at the depots.
Iguemokwa market recorded the highest number of producers (22), while Ona
market had the least (10). In a similar vein, producers traded more quantities
of D.edulis in Iguemokwa market, while few baskets were traded in Iduowina
market. Accessibility and proximity to markets may be one of the factors
responsible for the observed pattern.
In the absence of official or documented records, interviews and interactions
with elders in the community provided clues that introduction of D. edulis
into the local marketing system may have occurred after the introduction of
exotic fruits like citrus, mango and cashew. Wide acceptance, requests from
people outside the production zone and dwindling resources may be some of
the factors responsible for its commercialisation and subsequent introduction
into the marketing system. Therefore D. edulis may have been traded for over
50 years in the Sakpoba area.Policy environment
From the wild D. edulis is obtained from government reserves and communal
lands, and no individual is granted the authority to change the land-use pattern
or sell such lands. Private landowners, however, have the right to use their
land as they deem fit. Not much land has been granted to rubber plantation
development, to discourage incursion into forestland particularly in the taungya
plots. All the community members are aware of the customs that govern the
utilisation of common properties, except perhaps indigenes born outside the
community who later settled in the village. State and customary laws have
been harmonised, and where there is conflict, state interest overrides. Within
the communities, the majority of producers are not single-commodity
producers. Locally they have medium to high level status, probably depending
on the educational level, while nationally they belong to the low socio-economic
stratum.
The national agricultural policy includes the policy on the forestry sector,
yet government rights on forest reserves are primarily restricted to timber
extraction. Villages within reserves retain the right to extract non-timber
forest resources without obtaining permission from the forestry department.
The government monitors the movement of forest produce between states,
with much emphasis on wood products (timber, poles, firewood etc.). The
state forestry department charges a quarterly permit fee of US$2 per head for
minor forest produce, including D. edulis. Vehicles that carry forest produce
are charged US$10 per annum. Within the communities, all members regulate
the method of NTFPs collection to ensure the sustainability of the produce.
The lack of control of NTFPs by the government has allowed the communities
to exercise indigenous wisdom in the management of such resources. This
method has indirectly ensured sustainability in the production through non-
collection of immature materials. D. edulis, like other NTFPs, responds to
regulations governing such commodities. Private ownership of farmlands with08dacryodes.p65 142 22/12/2004, 11:05