Indigenous Plant Resources and Food Security Among Small-Scale Agricultural Producers: Southern Africa

Abstract

Products from land holdings of small-scale producers in Southern Africa’s dry lands are many and varied. The dry lands are known for their richness of tree species with edible fruits which contribute to food security and income generation which is sometimes higher than that from animal husbandry or arable agriculture. The inhabitants of the dry lands in Southern Africa have a rich heritage of ably managing and living harmoniously with their environment utilizing resources wisely stretching these from years of abundance into lean years. Introduced ‘development’ undertakings have greatly undermined these earlier coping mechanisms such that livelihoods and environmental health of some parts have been undermined. Loss of biodiversity occasioned by small-scale producers’ practices including bush and forest clearing to increase production required to meet developmental goals and targets is widespread. Meanwhile, small-scale producers struggle to meet their subsistence needs as well as produce for the world market economy (e.g. tobacco, fruits and cut flowers). Climate change being experienced by the rest of Africa is also affecting Southern Africa where it has caused an increase in the frequency and intensity of extreme events as well as gradual changes in the rainfall and temperature patterns. Recent interventions that borrow from the traditional coping strategies include indigenous tree domestication to increase sustainability of fruit and other tree based products.