part 1 - EuroAfrica-ICT

Sahelian Fruit TreesPeriod: 01/01/2006 to 31/12/2009Budget from EC: EUR 1 499 996website: http://www. safruit.orgPeople in the Sahel are among the poorest in the world andfood security problems are severe. Fruit trees are essentialin the diets of rural people, providing: cereals; Despite the generally accepted importance of trees, mostfood security programmes focus on cereals. The potentialof fruit trees is under-utilised. The SAFRUIT project aimsto increase food security and livelihoods for people inBurkina Faso, Mali and Niger, through facilitating access toknowledge concerning four native fruit tree species.The project has a holistic approach involving researchersfrom social (including economic) and natural sciences. Theaim of improving food security through increased use offruit trees will thus be obtained through studies of: trees and annual crops; village level; selection and development of superior genotypes; germplasm.Coordinator: Dr Anders RæbildThe Royal Veterinary and Agricultural University (KVL)By the end of the project, it is expected that people in thevillages studied will get a higher proportion of their nutrition,and experience higher benefits from fruit trees. This shouldresult from adoption of technologies and managementguidelines developed by the project, including: crops grown underneath; villagers; species; to farmers.Dissemination of knowledge should impact on the wholesubregion five years after the project has finished.Furthermore, the project will have a strong disseminationcomponent reaching a wide range of stakeholders,including farmers, technicians, scientists and policymakers.The project will focus on four important tree species inthe region: Adansonia digitata (baobab), Parkia biglobosa(African locust bean), Tamarindus indica (Tamarind tree)and Ziziphus mauritiana (Jujube or Indian Jujube).Food Security