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.