Farmer-identified indigenous fruit tree with suitable attributes for the semi-arid Northern Province of South Africa

Abstract

The study describes different research techniques used to gather useful information to assist smallholder farmers in making important decisions on the identification and selection of an indigenous fruit tree for domestication and commercialisation. The study demonstrates how action research brings together farmer-researcher actors into rural development in an interaction designed to address and find a solution to a problem as identified by farmers. In the end an indigenous technology/product is selected, that fits well into smallholder farming systems. The indigenous fruit tree, Mmupudu (Mimusops zeyheri; English = Transvaal red milkwood; Afrikaans = Moepel) was top - ranked as having favourable environmental, economic and nutritional attributes for conditions under which rural communities in the semiarid Northern Province of South Africa live.