Edible Wild Plants of Tanzania - World Agroforestry Centre

780 Pages·2004·7.7 MB·English

TECHNICAL HANDBOOK No. 27
Edible Wild
Plants of
Tanzania
Christopher K. Ruffo
Ann Birnie
Bo Tengn(cid:228)s
Regional Land Management Unit (RELMA)
RELMA Technical Handbook (TH) series
Tree nursery manual for Eritrea
Chris Palzer. 2002. TH No. 26. ISBN 9966-896-60-0
ULAMP extension approach: a guide for field extension agents
Anthony Nyakuni, Gedion Shone and Arne Eriksson. 2001. TH No. 25. ISBN 9966-896-57-0
Drip Irrigation: options for smallholder farmers in eastern and southern Africa
Isaya V. Sijali. 2001. TH No. 24. ISBN 9966-896-77-5
Water from sand rivers: a manual on site survey, design, construction, and maintenance of seven
types of water structures in riverbeds
Erik Nissen-Petersen. 2000. TH No. 23. ISBN 9966-896-53-8
Rainwater harvesting for natural resources management: a planning guide for Tanzania
Nuhu Hatibu and Henry F. Mahoo (eds.). 2000. TH No. 22. ISBN 9966-896-52-X
Agroforestry handbook for the banana-coffee zone of Uganda: farmers(cid:146) practices and experiences
I. Oluka-Akileng, J. Francis Esegu, Alice Kaudia and Alex Lwakuba. 2000. TH No. 21. ISBN 9966-896-51-1
Land resources management: a guide for extension workers in Uganda
Charles Rusoke, Anthony Nyakuni, Sandra Mwebaze, John Okorio, Frank Akena and Gathiru Kimaru. 2000.
TH No. 20. ISBN 9966-896-44-9
Wild food plants and mushrooms of Uganda
Anthony B. Katende, Paul Ssegawa, Ann Birnie, Christine Holding and Bo Tengn(cid:228)s. 1999. TH No. 19.
ISBN 9966-896-40-6
Banana production in Uganda: an essential food and cash crop
Aloysius Karugaba and Gathiru Kimaru. 1999. TH No. 18. ISBN 9966-896-39-2
Agroforestry extension manual for eastern Zambia
Samuel Simute, C.L. Phiri and Bo Tengn(cid:228)s. 1998. TH No. 17. ISBN 9966-896-36-8
Water harvesting: an illustrative manual for development of microcatchment techniques for crop
production in dry areas
Mwangi T. Hai. 1998. TH No. 16. ISBN 9966-896-33-3
Integrated soil fertility management on small-scale farms in Eastern Province of Zambia
Thomas Raussen (ed.). 1997. TH No. 15. ISBN 9966-896-32-5
Agroforestry manual for extension workers in Central and Lusaka provinces, Zambia
Joseph A. Banda, Penias Banda and Bo Tengn(cid:228)s. 1997. TH No. 14. ISBN 9966-896-31-7
Facilitators(cid:146) manual for communication skills workshops
Pamela Baxter. 1996. TH No. 13. ISBN 9966-896-25-2
Useful trees and shrubs in Eritrea: identification, propagation and management for agricultural and
pastoral communities
Estifanos Bein, B. Habte, A. Jaber, Ann Birnie and Bo Tengn(cid:228)s. 1996. TH No. 12. ISBN 9966-896-24-4
Agroforestry extension manual for northern Zambia
Henry Chilufya and Bo Tengn(cid:228)s. 1996. TH No. 11. ISBN 9966-896-23-6
Useful trees and shrubs for Uganda: identification, propagation and management for agricultural
and pastoral communities
A.B. Katende, Ann Birnie and Bo Tengn(cid:228)s. 1995. TH No. 10. ISBN 9966-896-22-8
Edible Wild Plants of Tanzania
i
ii
Edible Wild Plants of Tanzania
C K. R
HRISTOPHER UFFO
A B B T
NN IRNIE AND O ENGN˜S
Regional Land Management Unit/Sida
2002
iii
Published by the Regional Land Management Unit, RELMA/Sida
ICRAF House, Gigiri
P.O. Box 63403
Nairobi, Kenya
' 2002 Regional Land Management Unit (RELMA), Swedish
International Development Cooperation Agency (Sida)
Editor of RELMA series of publications: Anna K. Lindqvist
Editing, layout, typesetting and production: Caroline Agola, P.O. Box
21582, Nairobi, Kenya
Cover design: RELMA
Photos: All photos by Christopher K. Ruffo except where indicated.
Cover photos:
Top: Selling fruit, including Strychnos cocculoides and Parinari curatellifolia,
Tabora market
Middle: Borassus aethiopum
Bottom: Nymphaea lotus
Cataloguing-in-Publication Data
Ruffo CK, Birnie A, Tengn(cid:228)s B. Edible wild plants of Tanzania. 2002. RELMA
Technical Handbook Series 27. Nairobi, Kenya: Regional Land Management Unit
(RELMA), Swedish International Development Cooperation Agency (Sida). 766 p.
+ x; colour section; includes bibliography.
ISBN 9966-896-62-7
The content of this book is based on information gathered from a wide range of informants in the
field at locations throughout Tanzania and is presented in good faith. If you have any doubts,
before putting into practice any of its recommendations we advise you to verify information on
uses and preparation with knowledgeable people in your own situation and community. Neither
RELMA nor the individual authors will accept any liability for misidentification of the plants
described or any ill effects that may result from their consumption or any other form of use.
The contents of this manual may be reproduced without special permission.
However, acknowledgement of the source is requested. The photographers
and artists concerned must be contacted for reproduction of illustrations.
The views expressed in the RELMA series of publications are those of the
authors and do not necessarily reflect the views of RELMA.
Printed by English Press, P.O. Box 30127, Nairobi, Kenya
iv
Contents
Foreword...................................................................................................................vii
Acknowledgements..................................................................................................viii
Introduction................................................................................................................ 1
Illustrated glossary of botanical terms...................................................................11
PART I
Local names..............................................................................................................17
PART II
The species................................................................................................................67
APPENDICES
I. Summary table of parts of the plant used for food ........................................732
II.Workshop participants......................................................................................740
Bibliography...........................................................................................................743
List of families and species....................................................................................749
Index of species ......................................................................................................759
Feedback form........................................................................................................765
Colour plates between pages 6 and 7
Maps
1. The main physical features of Tanzania ...........................................................vi
2. The main phytogeographical regions of Tanzania ............................................ x
3. Administrative regions and main towns of Tanzania ....................................... 8
4. The main ethnic groups of Tanzania................................................................18
v
Map 1. The main physical features of Tanzania
vi
Foreword
This book can be regarded as the third in a series begun in 1999 when the Na-
tional Museums of Kenya published Traditional Food Plants of Kenya with spon-
sorship and technical assistance from RELMA, among others. Later the same year
RELMA(cid:146)s Wild Food Plants and Mushrooms of Uganda was launched, and now
we are very pleased to publish this volume, Edible Wild Plants of Tanzania.
In all three, it proved difficult to select the species to be included. The flora of
this region is so rich that any complete catalogue of all the wild plants that have
current or potential uses as food would result in enormously cumbersome books.
RELMA sees four good reasons for documenting this kind of information on the
edible wild plants of east and southern Africa in an easily accessible format:
• As a general principal, we should attempt to record all traditional knowledge
and wisdom that is at risk of dying out. There are still many people(cid:151)often the
old people(cid:151)who know how to utilize the resources of the (cid:147)wild(cid:148), but this is
knowledge that nowadays is seldom passed on to the younger generation;
• During periods of crop failure and famine, wild foods are often available pro-
vided people know where to look for them, recognize them and can cook them
appropriately;
• Eating habits are changing very rapidly, both in the South and the North.
Unfortunately, however, not all these changes are nutritionally sound. Some-
times the modern staple foods relied upon in Africa are monotonous and lack
nutrients essential for a balanced diet. The addition of some wild plant foods to
such poor staple-based diets can mean the difference between a healthy child
and one whose future may be blighted by the consequences of malnutrition;
• Probably the most important edible plant species in the world have already
been identified, domesticated, propagated, developed and put to economic use.
Modern gene-modification techniques have the potential for developing new
plants in the laboratory, but I am convinced that there will always be uses for
existing but not-so-well-known (cid:147)new(cid:148) plants in food production. The promotion
of (cid:147)functional foods(cid:148)(cid:151)those that are (cid:147)extra healthy(cid:148), or half way to being medi-
cines(cid:151)is growing rapidly. It is more than likely that among all the edible wild
plants of eastern Africa there are substances with the potential for being devel-
oped into products that could play an important economic role in the region.
Lastly, I would like to commend the main author, Christopher K. Ruffo, whose
extensive knowledge of the ethnobotany of Tanzania, resulting from decades of
botanical work in his country, forms the basis of this book. This initial information
was supplemented by further data gathered by him in the course of extensive
travels to five regions of Tanzania mainland, i.e. Kilimanjaro, Tanga, Iringa, Tabora
and Kigoma, and also Zanzibar, and interactions with local people in all those
areas. The rest of the team behind this book relied heavily on Mr Ruffo(cid:146)s expertise.
¯ke Barklund
Director, RELMA
vii
Acknowledgements
This book is the result of the combined efforts of a team of people facilitated by a
Sida grant through the Regional Land Management Unit, RELMA. Christine Hold-
ing and Bo Tengn(cid:228)s initiated the project through RELMA, and Bo Tengn(cid:228)s and
Gatheru Kimaru facilitated the field work and production throughout.
An initial text was supplemented by a great amount of data gathered in the
course of extensive travels to five Regions of Tanzania mainland, i.e. Kilimanjaro,
Tanga, Iringa, Tabora and Kigoma, and also to Zanzibar, and interaction with
local people in the areas visited.
Many organizations and individuals contributed to the successful completion of
that part of the work, and in particular the following deserve mention:
(cid:149) The Commissioner of Natural Resources, Zanzibar, and his staff who guided us
to various important places and facilitated data collection on the use of wild food
plants in Zanzibar;
(cid:149) The Regional Natural Resources Officer and Regional Agricultural Officer of
Tanga whose competent extension staff arranged for us to interview local farm-
ers in Tanga, Muheza, Korogwe and Lushoto Districts;
(cid:149) The Project Manager of East Usambara Catchment Project, Tanga, and his staff
for their co-operation and allowing us access to their library;
(cid:149) The District Agricultural Officer, Moshi, and his staff for arranging meetings
and interviews with local people. Mama Moshi, in particular, drove us tirelessly
and courageously on muddy roads to collect data in Kilimanjaro Region;
(cid:149) The District Agricultural Officer and District Forest Officer, Same District, who
arranged for us to meet and interview Maasai and Pare tribesmen in Ruvu
Mferejini and Mbagga villages, respectively;
(cid:149) The District Natural Resources Officer and District Agricultural Officer of Iringa,
Mafinga and Njombe Districts and their staff who arranged meetings with groups
of women, men and young people in various villages;
(cid:149) The Regional Natural Resources Officer, Tabora Region, and District Agricul-
tural Officers of Tabora, Nzega and Igunga Districts who arranged for us to
meet Nyamwezi tribesmen and herbalists;
(cid:149) The Director of the Agricultural Training Centre, Tumbi, Tabora, and his staff
for taking us on a field visit through the intact Tumbi Forest Reserve accompa-
nied by local people to identify and discuss their use of wild food plants;
(cid:149) The Co-ordinator of Lake Tanganyika Catchment Forest and Education
viii