World Food Day feature 2004: Growing indigenous fruit trees on farms to reduce hunger and poverty

The northeastern communities of Namibia cultivate sorghum, millet and maize on the fertile ground, but the nearby bush and forests have always been an important source of nutritious wild fruits. In the regions of Caprivi and Kavango, about 66 wild fruit tree species have been identified that contribute daily to the diets and income of the local communities, mostly during the rainy season when the crops are not ready for harvest.

This is a radio reportage on a FAO project that helps improve the use of wild fruit trees to supplement diets and incomes in rural communities in Namibia.

. Writer/Producer: Liliane Kambirigi (FAO)
. Co-producer: Eve Black, NBC (Namibian Broadc. Corp.)
. Narrator: Edward Ogolla (FAO)
. Studio Engineer: Eric Deleu (FAO)
. Technical Adviser: Forestry Resources Division (FAO)
. Transcript

I. Biodiversity - Knowing indigenous fruit trees and preserving them

II. Domestication - Encouraging home gardening of indigenous fruit trees

III. Transformation - Making jam and juice from marula and eembe

IV. Prospects - A lot remains to be done

V. Round-up interviews

Mr. John Sitwala, a Senior Forestry Officer at Katima Mulilo and local co-ordinator of the project

Mr. Joseph Hailwa, Director of Forestry, Ministry of Environment and Tourism, Namibia

Ms. Esther Lusepani-Kamwi, Deputy-Director of Forestry and national Co-ordinator of the FAO/Namibian project on Indigenous Fruit Trees Species (2000-2003)

Mr. Peter George Bille, Lecturer at the Namibia University-Food Science Technology, Windhoek