TREE AID
TREE FOODS EXECUTIVE SUMMARY
Local knowledge and nutritional value of tree foods in Burkina Faso
1. INTRODUCTION
In Burkina Faso, 3.5 million people are affected by food insecurity, 1.5 million of which face severe food insecurity (World Food Programme 2012). Chronic malnutrition affects 31.5% of the population of Burkina Faso, with 9.2% of people facing severe chronic malnutrition (SMART survey 2013). Since 2007 eradicating malnutrition is a national priority in the context of the Millennium Development Goals.
The vast majority of the population of Burkina Faso lives rurally, where their livelihoods are dependent on agriculture. We know that these poor households collect and eat tree foods (such as fruits, nuts and leaves), however, the economic and nutritional contribution of these foods is not well known.
In April 2014 TREE AID hosted an event in Burkina Faso where findings from the first stage of its innovative TREE FOODS project were shared with stakeholders. The findings from two studies commissioned by TREE AID to understand more about 1) how tree foods are used to meet nutritional needs in rural Burkina Faso and 2) the nutritional value of tree foods were presented at this event.
This paper provides an Executive Summary of the original papers (both in French) in order to share the important findings about the value that tree foods can play in combatting malnutrition in rural Burkina Faso with an English speaking audience. It begins with a summary of key messages from both papers before providing an overview of each paper.
2. KEY MESSAGES
· Burkina Faso faces serious nutritional and food security challenges to which children and women of child-bearing age are particularly vulnerable. Tree foods can play an important part in addressing these challenges
· 144 tree foods are consumed in Burkina Faso. They are consumed throughout the country and throughout the year.
· Tree foods are often understood as complementary foods or poverty foods. In fact, in rural Burkina Faso they are staples.
· Tree foods are nutritious. They are rich in macronutrients, micronutrients and vitamins. Nuts and seeds are rich in protein and fats. Pulps are rich in vitamins, notably Vitamin C and Provitamin A. Tree foods contain essential amino acids and offer high energy value.
· The sustainability of tree resources is crucial to the potential of tree foods, but this area is under-researched meaning that the sustainability of the resource is uncertain.
· Further research and investment is needed to harness the potential of tree foods.
3. LITERATURE REVIEW ON LOCAL KNOWLEDGE AND USE OF TREE FOODS
The literature review was conducted for TREE AID by the local research organisation, INERA. The review focused on all and any tree products that humans use and consume in rural Burkina Faso, including: fruits, seeds, pulp, nuts, leaves, butter, oil, sap and flowers. It gathered literature from across Burkina Faso.
It found that tree foods play a crucial role in the diets of poor, rural populations. In times of drought and shortage, they are staples. Poor rural people also use tree foods to generate income. Therefore, tree foods are important for food security as sources of nutrition and sources of money to by food.
144 different tree foods were mentioned in the literature collected. Tree foods are eaten throughout the year and are predominantly eaten fresh. The sustainability of the trees that these foods come from is crucial, but little literature or analysis exists on the current stock of such trees or on strategies for their conservation.
Methodology
INERA researchers developed a methodology to ensure that they were able to gather all relevant literature from across Burkina Faso. They divided the country into four quadrants (Dédougou, Dori, Fada and Gaoua) as well as conducting searches in three urban centres (Ouagadougou, Bobo-Dioulasso and Banfora) where University collections, libraries, government offices and NGOs held literature. In total, the team visited 56 sites around the country from which it collected literature.
They collected a total of 277 documents. These included 28 different kinds of document; the most common were etiquettes (60), articles (50), reports (34), progress reports (19) and technical (13) and project cycle (11) reports. The majority of the documents were collected in the urban centres of Ouagadougou and Bobo Dioulasso; however all of the etiquettes came from documents collected in the regional searches.
The researchers developed a grid against which to summarize and analyse the documents collected. Each document was entered into the grid, which collected key publication information, the geographic focus of the document, information on the species concerned and on the human uses of the species.
All regions of the country were referenced in the literature. Documents that focused on Burkina Faso as a whole were the most common (34 documents). The regions that received the most attention were the Northern region (29 documents), the Boucle du Mouhoun region (21 documents) and the Hauts-Bassins region (17 documents). All other regions were the focus of between 5 and 15 documents, with the exception of Plateau Central region, which was the focus of only 3 documents.
Findings
144 tree foods were referenced in the literature
The following species were mentioned in at least 40 documents:
· Shea (Vittellaria Paradoxa) – discussed in over 100 documents
· Baobab (Adansonia Digitata) – discussed in over 80 documents
· Locust bean (Parkia Biglobosa) – discussed in over 80 documents
· Tamarind (Tamarindus Indica) – discussed in over 60 documents
· Balanites (Balanites Aegyptiaca) – discussed in 60 documents
· Ziziphus (Ziziphus Mauritiana) – discussed in over 40 documents
· Saba (Saba Senegalensis) – discussed in 40 document
· Tallow tree (Detarium Microcarpum) – discussed in 40 documents
Tree foods are staples
They are also used as aperitifs, desserts, medicines, seasoning, supplementary foods and tonics.
Tree foods are consumed throughout the year
Because most tree foods are consumed fresh, they are usually consumed over the course of several months when they are in season. However, because the seasonality of tree foods varies according to the species, households are consuming some kind of tree food throughout the year. Some products (37 species referenced in the literature) are dried and/or stored and eaten throughout the year, especially in times of shortage.
Most tree foods are eaten fresh, without being processed
Where tree foods are processed, this is usually in the household in advance of being eaten.
Where commercial processing takes place it is usually on a small, artisanal scale. Tree foods are collected primarily using traditional methods, such as: collection from the ground, picking from the tree, tapping, shaking the tree to release leaves and removing limbs from the tree.
At present only a very few species are the focus on industrial processing; these include shea, gum Arabic and tamarind
The sustainability of tree resources is crucial but uncertain
The literature did not offer a clear picture of the availability of tree food species. Recent statistical information was not available, making it very difficult to assess whether tree food species are being sustainably managed.
Where sustainability strategies were discussed, the following methods were used: tree planting, sowing seeds, awareness raising, nursery production of seedlings, natural regeneration, assisted natural regeneration, the development of nutritional gardens and income generating activities.
4. LITERATURE REVIEW ON THE NUTRITIONAL VALUE OF TREE FOODS
The local research organisation IRSAT was commissioned by TREE AID to undertake a review to establish 1) major nutritional deficiencies in Burkina Faso and 2) the nutritional value of tree foods.
It found that Burkina Faso is confronted with a number of nutritional challenges, including food insecurity, malnutrition and deficiencies in particular nutrients. Tree foods can contribute towards improving nutrition. Tree foods are rich in macronutrients, micronutrients and vitamins.
Seeds, nuts and pulp from tree foods offers high energy value. Pulps are rich in vitamins, notably Vitamin C and Provitamin A. Seeds and nuts are rich in fats and protein. Tree foods also contain essential amino acids.
Methodology
The researchers focused on 12 priority tree foods and a further 12 secondary tree foods, selected because they are the most frequently studied tree foods. They conducted a literature review that collected academic research as well as technical materials and reports. Literature that focused on Burkina Faso was privileged but internationally focused studies were also included to enlarge the sample. Literature was assessed based on its quality and applicability before being included in the review.
Findings
Major micronutrient deficiencies in Burkina Faso include Iodine, Iron and Vitamin A
· 34% of children between 1-3 years old are Vitamin A deficient
· 88% of children between 0-5 are anaemic, with 70% experiencing moderate to severe anaemia
· Only 25% of women of childbearing age consume meat, 17% consume iron-rich vegetables and only 3.8% consume eggs. Therefore protein deficiency is a major concern for women of childbearing age.
Tree foods are rich in macronutrients that are essential for nourishment
· Protein: Protein-rich tree foods are at least 25% protein when dried. These include shea nuts (41%), locust beans and seeds, balanites nuts, Adansonia Digitata seeds and nuts, Sclerocarya Birrea nuts, moringa leaves and seeds and Detarium Microcarpum pulp.
· Amino acids: Many tree foods are rich in amino acids, including tamarind, moringa leaves, Sclérocarya birrea nuts and leaves, Vitex doniana pulp,
· Omega acids: Fermented locust beans and baobab seeds are rich in Omega 6, as are moringa leaves and seeds and balanites nuts. Moringa leaves are rich in Omega 3.
· Fats: Tree foods rich in fat include: shea butter (75%), locust beans, balanites nuts, moringa nuts, Adansonia Digitata nuts, Sclerocarya Birrea nuts, and Vitex doniana pulp.
· Carbohydrates: The vast majority of tree foods are rich in carbohydrates. Only the Sclerocarya birrea nut and the moringa seed are less than 20% carbohydrate. Honey is extremely rich in carbohydrates (96%). In many tree foods the carbohydrate content is fibre-rich.
Tree foods are rich in micronutrients that protect health
The table bellows tree foods that are rich in particular micronutrients
Calcium(more than 250mg per 100g) / Fermented locust bean
Balanites pulp and leaves
Shea pulp
Bombax
Moringa leaves
Adansonia digitata seeds and pulp
Sclerocarya birrea pulp
Lannea microcarpa pulp
Ziziphus mauritiana pulp
Saba senegalensis pulp
Acacia macrostachya seed
Copper
(more than 25mg per 100g) / Locust bean pulp
Moringa leaves and seeds
Iron
(more than 130mg per 100g) / Adansonia digitata leaves
Acacia macrostachya seeds
Potassium / Adansonia digitata leaves, pulp and seeds
Locust bean pulp
Honey
Shea
Bombax costatum
Tamarind pulp
Moringa leaves
Detarium microcarpum pulp
Saba senegalensis pulp
Acacia macrostachya seeds
Magnesium / Adansonia digitata leaves, pulp and seeds
Locust bean pulp
Balanites leaves
Shea
Bombax costatum
Moringa leaves and seeds
Manganese / Locust beans
Moringa leaves
Sodium / All tree foods
Highest sodium content = fermented Locust beans (1250mg per 100g)
Phosphorous / All tree foods
Highest phosphorous content = Adansonia digitata leaves (875mg per 100g)
Zinc / All tree foods
Highest zinc content = Moringa leaves (548mg per 100g)
Tree foods are rich in vitamins
Data availability on the vitamin content of particular tree foods was poor. However, the available data does show that tree foods are very rich in Vitamin C, particularly Ziziphus mauritiana, baobab fruit, locust beans, Anacardium occidentale and Sclerocarya birrea. A number of tree foods are also rich in Provitamin A.
Cooking, drying and storing tree foods can have positive and negative effects on its nutritional value depending upon the process and the tree food
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