Forest Products, Livelihoods and Conservation

Hassan Gbadebo Adewusi 137

Despite its high value and the nutritional and economic importance of D.

edulis to the socio-cultural life of the people of the area, monocropping or

plantation development of the species is rarely found. Instead small stands

are randomly planted in a complex agroforestry system of compound farms,

home gardens and outlying farms. The present production stocks of the species

are old, while the juvenile ones, expected to commence production soon, are

from protected on-farm growth wildlings or from lifted wildlings planted within

the compound agroforestry complex. Irrigated farming is not practised in the

Sakpoba Forest Reserve area because of the nearly year-round constant

moisture availability and very short dry period (Table 1).

The major item of commercial interest is the fruit of D. edulis. The current

source of the fruit is predominantly from semidomesticated stands in home

gardens and tree crop farms, and rarely from the wild. The tree has been

delimited into two varieties, namely, D. edulis var edulis and D. edulis var

parvicarpa, based on fruit traits identified by Okafor (1983). Recent germplasm

exploration studies, however, indicate wide variability within the fruit,

particularly in colour (especially after ripening), size, shape and mesocarp

thickness (Omaliko et al. 1998). Although seven distinct fruit shape types are

recognised, four fruit types are consistent enough to be applied. These are

ellipsoid, oblong, cylindrical and spindle shapes.

D. edulis fruit is consumed as food supplement. It is eaten either raw,

roasted or boiled, usually between meals, particularly together with boiled or

roasted maize, during the ‘hungry season’ when staples are yet to mature and

become ready for consumption (Okafor 1983; Emebiri and Nwufo 1990). The

edible portion (mesocarp) is protein rich (between 9% and 12%) (Emebiri

personal communication) and has a good amino-acid balance (Omoti and Okiy

1987). The fruit yields about 48% edible oil, which is rich in unsaturated fatty

acid (44%) (Ucciani and Busson 1963). This is relatively stable, satisfactorily

nutritional and compares favourably with other major widely used vegetable

oils (Ucciani and Busson 1963; Osagie and Odutuga 1986; Omoti and Okiy 1987).

After oil extraction the cotyledon, or kernel, can be fed to sheep and goats. In

addition to the edible fruit, the resin obtained from the bark is variously used

as sealing pitch on calabashes and for mending earthenware. The wood from

D. edulis is used for making tool handles, axe shafts, mortars and in carpentry.

Various parts also have cure for a variety of ailments.

Roads Distance (km) Status

Roads and rides 160 Fairly well motorable

Agbor–Sapele road 160 Complete state of

disrepair

Sakpoba–Benin road 45 Partly paved, other

parts not motorable

in rainy season

Total 365

Table 2. Transportation network around Sakpoba Forest Reserve

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