The present project will be carried out in Benin, Burkina Faso, Mali and Niger (Sub-Saharan Africa). This region is characterized by high population growth, unpredictable food provision and high poverty rates. This situation is already and will further be worsened by climate change effects which affect agricultural production.
The present overall research objectives are to 1) develop adapted ‘agroforestree’ plant material for introduction into local agroforestry systems, 2) assess biochemical compounds and nutritional value of native edible tree/shrub species products, 3) develop improved processing of products, 4) promote sustainable management of edible tree/shrub species and develop (inter-) national marketing strategies of their products.
The main activities are grouped in six work packages:
(WP1) Literature review and traditional knowledge survey on native edible tree/shrub species;
(WP2) Assessment of biochemical compounds and nutritional value of selected native edible tree/shrub species products;
(WP3) Analysis and development of value chains and improvement of marketing and processing of selected edible tree/shrub products;
(WP4) Development of locally adapted domestication of selected native edible tree/shrub species;
(WP5) capacity building; and
(WP6) Coordination and management.
The expected results of the project are:
Centre Régional Recherche Agronomique/Institut d’Economie Rurale (Mali)
Laboratoire de Biomathématiques et d’Estimations Forestières/University of Abomey-Calai (Benin)
Institut de Recherche Agronomique de Niamey (Niger)
Institute for training and research on life and earth sciences/University Ouagadougou (Burkina Faso)
Gent University Belgium, Department of Bioscience (Belgium)
Aarhus University (Denmark)