Farmers\' Participation In <i>Ex-Situ</i> Conservation Of Indigenous Fruit Trees In Southern Nigeria

Abstract

Farmer Participatory Research (FPR) is a new approach, which the World Agro forestry Centre (ICRAF), International Institute of Tropical Agriculture (IITA), NGOs and farmers are using to effectively design and implement community-based conservation project in Nigeria prior to ex-situ conservation. Socioeconomic and market surveys were conducted and base-line data collected in seven communities. Results from seven pilot sites in Southern Nigeria indicate that community farmers readily adopted tree domestication, increasingly acquired skills, easily established community nurseries, enthusiastically identified and conserved economic fruit trees, including Irvingia gabonensis, Irvingia wombolu, Dacryodes edulis, Chrysophyllum albidum, Garcinia kola, in the rural communities. The participatory approach, which involves rural farmers direct involvement in decision making and in the development of suitable practices, is not only effective in reducing genetic loss, but also increases availability and yields of indigenous fruit trees (non-timber forest products).


Journal of Agriculture and Social Research Vol. 4 (2) 2004: 33-42