Non-Wood Forest Products for Improved Nutrition, Livelihoods and Biodiversity

Abstract

This project, jointly implemented by the Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO) and the World Agroforestry Organization (ICRAF)-Uganda in north western Uganda, aimed to identify key forest and wild foods or non-wood forest products (NWFPs) – with the greatest potential to contribute to nutritious and healthy diets, and serve as the basis of sustainable livelihoods, while countering the degradation of forested and wooded landscapes. The team consulted over 200 wild product gatherers in Yumbe, Arua and Moyo districts during the assessment, which included an analysis of key NWFP value chains for improvement; namely honey and beeswax, Vitellaria paradoxa (shea), Balanites aegyptiaca (desert date) and Ruspolia differens (grasshoppers). Approximately 150 wild product harvesters participated in training on value-addition,sustainable collection, quality standards and marketing. The training included participatory identification of NWFPs suitable for domestication, namely Vitellaria paradoxa, Balanites aegyptiaca and Tamarindus indica, with the long-term aim of alleviating pressure on wild populations