A Biodiverse Rich Environment Does Not Contribute to a Better Diet: A Case Study from DR Congo

The potential of biodiversity to increase and sustain nutrition security is increasingly recognized by the international research community. To date however, dietary assessment studies that have assessed how biodiversity actually contributes to human diets are virtually absent. This study measured the contribution of wild edible plants (WEP) to the dietary quality in the high biodiverse context of DR Congo. The habitual dietary intake was estimated from 2 multiple-pass 24 h dietary recalls for 363 urban and 129 rural women. All WEP were collected during previous ethnobotanical investigations and identified and deposited in the National Botanical Garden of Belgium (BR). Results showed that in a high biodiverse region with precarious food security, WEP are insufficiently consumed to increase nutrition security or dietary adequacy. The highest contribution came from Dacryodes edulis in the village sample contributing 4.8% of total energy intake. Considering the nutrient composition of the many WEP available in the region and known by the indigenous populations, the potential to increase nutrition security is vast. Additional research regarding the dietary contribution of agricultural biodiversity and the nutrient composition of WEP would allow to integrate them into appropriate dietary guidelines for the region and pave the way to domesticate the most interesting WEP

Etude préliminaire sur la contribution socio-économique de Gnetum africanum dans les ménages de la région de Kisangani

Les produits alimentaires sauvages connaissent actuellement un regain d’intérêt et cela pour diverses raisons. En premier lieu, il convient de se souvenir de stagnation, voire de la diminution du pouvoir d’achat de la majorité de la population de beaucoup des pays africains en général et celle de la population de la région de Kisangani en particulier. Situation qui a été aggravée par les récentes guerres de rébellion successives dans notre pays(1996, 1998-2002) … ; en second lieu le problème d’environnement et de gestion des ressources forestières constituent un des enjeux dans les débats démocratiques à l’heure actuelle. Nous sommes partis de l’observation sur les différentes plantes alimentaires sauvages qui se consomment et se vendent sur le marché pour enfin, remarquer que le Gnetum africamum avait des caractéristiques particulières. En faisant un travail préliminaire sur la contribution socio-économique de Gnetum africamum dans les ménages de la région de Kisangani, nous avons eu comme résultats préliminaires : -Cette plante contribue efficacement à l’économie des ménages qui pratiquent cette activité et celle de la ville de Kisangani par les différentes taxes de l’Etat. -les ménages arrivent à gagner 9302880 Fc (soit 18605,76 $U.S.A.) /trimestre pour l’axe Ituri et 9462000 FC/ (soit 18924$ U.S.A.)/trimestre pour l’axe Yangambi. -Les différentes quantités de cette plante quittent la ville pour d’autres provinces du pays soit 23117kg (CAA), 16004kg (HBA) et 15014kg (WDA) ; -Pour la région de Kisangani, les 65 % des hommes sont intéressées et les femmes sont impliquées à 35 % dans cette activité. Enfin, la population éprouve certains problèmes dans le mode de gestion de l’environnement en général et du capital forestier en particulier face aux exigences juridico coutumières. Nous pensons étayer cette thématique pour des recherches futures sur l’économie et l’environnement dans le cadre du projet sur la revalorisation des plantes alimentaires sauvages (PAS) et mode de gestion des forêts dans le District de la Tshopo en particulier et de la Province Orientale en général

Wild edible plant markets in Kisangani, Democratic Republic of Congo

Benefits from wild edible plants (WEP) are multiple for rural households as well as urban traders. To set species priorities for WEP market development and domestication, we performed an inventory of WEP species and traders in 5 markets and 1 road-side selling point in Kisangani. During four, one-month sessions between September 2007 and July 2008, all WEP traders present in the target markets were interviewed. We registered 119 unique sellers, selling 15 different WEPs. The September-October period and ‘Marché Central’ were the most important for WEP trade in Kisangani. Added values and net incomes generated through WEP sales were very divergent. Four types of traders could be distinguished. Gnetum africanum trade involves the more dynamic traders. Cola acuminata, Garcinia kola and Piper guineense spices have local and international market potential. Within the wild fruits category we can propose Landolphia owariensis and Tetracarpidium conophorum as priority species for local market development

Use and socio-economic importance of wild edible plants in tropical rainforest around Kisangani, District Tshopo, DR Congo

The project ‘Wild Edible Plants’ (WEP) inventories all wild edible plants in the district Tshopo and investigates their nutritional, socio-economic and cultural importance. The final objective is to compose a hierarchical list of the species and set priorities for further research and domestication of WEPs. Some experiences of a preliminary field research period from July to September 2006 are combined with a first impression of the results (in expectation of full taxonomic identification of the ethnospecies). Participatory research was carried out in Yalungu (tribe: Turumbu), Yaleko Village (tribe: Mbole) and Bafwabula (tribe: Bali). Respectively 43, 61 and 58 WEPs were known at village level. On average 21, 44 and 30 WEPs were used at household level. Some WEPs were known and used in all villages, whereas others only in 1 or 2 villages. On average, 4%, 20% and 2% respectively of the monetary income of the households originated from the sale of WEPs

Usual daily dietary intakes of non pregnant/non lactating WEP-consumers and non-consumers (safou included)¹.

1<p>All values are usual intake means ± standard deviation, with adjustment for <i>recall day</i> and <i>interviewer</i>;</p>2<p>people who consumed more than 10 g of WEP in at least one of both recalls (safou included);</p>3<p>Model based difference of means (WEP consumer – non WEP consumer), adjusted for the fixed effect <i>sample</i>;</p>4<p>Model-based adjusted for the fixed effect <i>sample</i>;</p>5<p>Adjusted for total energy intake in the model as described by <a href="http://www.plosone.org/article/info:doi/10.1371/journal.pone.0030533#pone.0030533-Willet1" target="_blank">[55]</a>.</p

Usual daily dietary intakes of non pregnant/non lactating women in Kisangani (city), Turumbu women in Kisangani (city) and Turumbu women in Yaoseko (village)¹.

1<p>All values are usual intake means ± standard deviation, with adjustment for <i>recall day</i> and <i>interviewer</i>;</p>2<p>% of women under RDA, recommended daily allowances for adults <a href="http://www.plosone.org/article/info:doi/10.1371/journal.pone.0030533#pone.0030533-FAO2" target="_blank">[24]</a>;</p>3<p>ANOVA comparison of means. If p<0.05, a Tukey <i>post-hoc</i> test was performed. Different letters indicate statistically different means at 0.05 level;</p>4<p><i>P</i> adjusted for total energy intake in the model as described by <a href="http://www.plosone.org/article/info:doi/10.1371/journal.pone.0030533#pone.0030533-Willet1" target="_blank">[55]</a>.</p

Sample characteristics of the food consumption survey.

1<p>Mean with standard deviation;</p>2<p>calculated using χ²-tests for factor variables; ANOVA for comparison of means, if p<0.05, a Tukey <i>post-hoc</i> test was performed, different letters indicate statistically different means at 0.05 level.</p

Proportion of women that consumed food groups and food items¹.

1<p>Only food items consumed by at least 5% of a group are reported, except for WEP. All WEP consumed in this study are shown; they are preceded by an asterisk. For WEP herbarium references we refer to Termote et al. (2010, 2011).</p>2<p>The Turumbu living in the city were compared with the overall city sample and the Turumbu from the village were compared with the Turumbu from the city. χ²-tests were performed for all food groups and wild food items which were consumed by at least 10 persons over the two samples compared.</p>3<p>Safou (<i>Dacryodes edulis</i>) occurs native in Central Africa. This species is cultivated on a small scale around the homesteads, but also harvested from the wild. It can be considered as semi-wild.</p

Energy contribution of food groups and wild foods per sample¹.

1<p>All values are usual intake means ± standard deviation, with adjustment for <i>recall day</i> and <i>interviewer</i>;</p>2<p>ANOVA comparison of means. If p<0.05, a Tukey <i>post-hoc</i> test was performed, different letters indicate statistically different means at 0.05 level;</p>3<p>1 calorie = 4.1868 Joule.</p>4<p>expressed as percentage of total energy intake;</p>5<p>“-” indicates that the energy contribution from these foods was insignificant.</p