The contribution of ziziphas mauritania to rural households food security, income and welfare : a case of Mukumbura ward 2, Mt Darwin district
Abstract
Households throughout Mukumbura ward 2 depend on non-timber forest products
(NTFPs) such as fruit, leaves, pulp ,bark and roots.This research undertaken in three
villages in Mukumbura ward 2 that include, Chingawo, Chimunda and Rukodzo
documents the contribution of Ziziphas mauritiana NTFPs to rural household income,
food security and welfare. Evidence presented showed that Ziziphas mauritiana products
contributed to household income and food security through different NTFPs enterprises
that include fruit selling, beer brewing and general consumption of fruits by the villagers.
The income serve as subsistence safety nets during times of shocks such as illness and
drought thus income was used for immediate household requirement, school fees, clothes
and buying agricultural inputs. The contribution of Ziziphas mauritiana NTFPs to
household income, food security and welfare in Mukumbura ward 2 were determined
using primary and secondary data and these include questionnaires that were distributed
to 32 sampled household. Questionnaires were designed to establish types of products
used, quantities used, sources of income and challenges faced by households in
improving the use of NTFPs. Interviews and focused group discussion were used to
triangulate data from questionnaires. The research have indicated that household
communities in Mukumbura ward 2 derive cash income from NTFPs and they act as
safety nets during times of shocks such as drought.The study also revealed that many
households are facing economic challeges such as marketing because of poor
infrastructure and poor prices,social factors and ecological.
Collections
- Department of Geography [257]