Sustainable Agriculture and Food: Four volume set (Earthscan Reference Collections)

36 The Global Food System

Recent responses to support farmers

When external agencies work closely with farmers to document the variety and
performance of their crops, the results can be extraordinary (Salazar, 1992; Fowler
and Mooney, 1990). Many have found varieties that perform well in low external
input conditions (Box 1.1). The Phrey Phdau rice research station in Cambodia, for
example, has collected 1320 local rice varieties with the help of Oxfam. One local
variety, 2-Somrung 2, yields 5t/ha under low-external input conditions. Another,
Prambei Khor, compares equally with IR42 on yield terms, and has superior straw
production and grain quality. In Thailand, the non-governmental organization
(NGO) Technology for Rural and Ecological Enrichment (TREE) has collected

Table 1.7 Use of wild plants for food and medicine by farming communities

Location Importance of wild resources

Brazil^1 Kernels of babbasu palm provide 25 per cent of household

income for 300,000 families in Maranhâo State

China,

West Sichuan^2

1320 tonnes of wild pepper production; 2000t fungi collected and

sold; 500t ferns collected and sold

Ghana^3 16–20 per cent of food supply from wild animals and plants

India, West Bengal^4 155 wild plants collected for food, fodder, medicine and fuel

Kenya, Bungoma^5 100 species wild plants collected; 47 per cent of households

collected plants from the wild and 49 per cent maintained wild

species within their farms to domesticate certain species

Kenya, Machakos^6 120 medicinal plants used, plus many wild foods

Nigeria, near Oban

National Park^7

150 species of wild food plants

South Africa,

Natal/KwaZulu^8

400 indigenous medicinal plants are sold in the area

Sub-saharan Africa^9 60 wild grass species in desert, savanna and swamp lands

utilized as food

Swaziland^10 200 species collected for food

Thailand, NE^11 50 per cent of all foods consumed are wild foods from paddy

fields, including fish, snakes, insects, mushrooms, fruit and

vegetables

South west of US^12 375 plant species used by native Indians

Zaire^13 20 tonnes chanterelle mushrooms collected and consumed by

people of Upper Shaba

Zimbabwe^14 20 wild vegetables, 42 wild fruits, 29 insects, 4 edible grasses and

one wild finger millet; tree fruits in dry season provide 25 per cent

of poor people’s diet

Sources: 1 Fowler and Mooney, 1990; 2 Zhaoqung and Ning, 1992; 3 Dei, 1989; 4 SPWD,
1992; 5 Juma, 1989; 6 Wanjohi, 1987; 7 Okafor, 1989; 8 Cunningham, 1990; 9 Harlan, 1989;
10 Ogle and Grivetti, 1985; 11, 12, 13 Scoones et al, 1992; 14 Wilson, 1989