Tetrapleura tetraptera in Ghana, Nigeria and Uganda: households uses and local market

• Published in: Forests, trees and livelihoods Vol. 27; no. 4; pp. 243 - 256
• Main Authors: Kemigisha, Esther, Owusu, Edmund.O., Elusiyan, Christianah A., Omujal, Francis, Tweheyo, Mnason, Bosu, Paul P.
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: Bicester Taylor & Francis 02.10.2018; Taylor & Francis Ltd
• Subjects: Community; Domestication; Food; Fruit tree; Fruit trees; Fruits; Ghana; Household use; Households; Local communities; Local market; Nigeria; Sustainability; Tetrapleura tetraptera; Uganda; Nigeria; Uganda; Ghana
• ISSN: 1472-8028; 2164-3075
• DOI: 10.1080/14728028.2018.1498027

Tetrapleura tetraptera is an indigenous fruit tree in Tropical Africa. Scientific findings indicate its medicinal and nutritional properties, vital for rural livelihood sustainability. Despite this reported scientific potential, its uses in local communities have not received much attention. This study assessed T. tetraptera local uses in selected communities in Ghana, Nigeria and Uganda. Data were collected through semi-structured interviews with a total of 420 user households and 30 traders. Reported uses of T. tetraptera were medicine, food, timber, firewood, shade and cultural applications. When ranked by importance, medicinal uses emerged highest in Ghana, Nigeria and Uganda. Except for food uses that differed significantly (p ≤ 0.05) between Uganda and Ghana, other T. tetraptera uses were not significantly different across the three countries. Household sales exclusively concerned the fruits, and were low, comprising only 16%, 15% and 6% of respondent households in Ghana, Nigeria and Uganda respectively. Our results reveal the importance of T. tetraptera for medicinal and food uses in local communities and its potential for improving local livelihoods through its domestication