BIBLIOGRAPHIC DATA SHEET

DISCUSSION AND SYNTHESIS
Returning to questions posed at the outset of this report, should agri­
cultural development within the tropical zone of sub-Saharan Africa consider
edible wild plants as a viable research and development focus? Four types
of data presented in this report document an unqualified support for such
research.
1. While there is abundant information already available identify­
ing important dietary uses of wild plants by agro-pastoral peoples
within the study region, these data have not been systematicany col­
lected. No region within sub-Saharan Africa has been examined
thoroughly for the potential presence of highly nutritious wild
plants. Data presented in this report reveal a high number of wild
species utilized by agro-pastoral societies within the study area;
the reports presented represent an eclectic, unsystematic attempt
to identify potentially useful edible wild plants.
2. It is clear that many agro-pastoral societies focus on domesti­
cated field crops to the near exclusion of wild species. It is
also clear that other societies rely heavily on wild plants to pro­
vide important energy and nutrients under three types of conditions:
A) Minimal but important use throughout the year, P) Major important
use at specific periods of the year, especially in the months pre­
ceding harvest of domesticated field crops, and C) Major importance
during periods of drought. Wild plants in each region of sub-Saharan
Africa are climatically adapted to variable conditions, whereas most
domesticated field crops are not. Thus, during drought wild plants
may become the most important determinant whether individuals, families,
even villages maintain their nutritional quality.
82.