1

Environmental and Socioeconomic Interactions of Wild

Edible and Associated Woody Plants in North Darfur

Abubakr M. J. Siam1* , Mohamed A. Khamis1 , Ibrahim A. El Nour

1

1 Department of Forestry and Range Sciences Faculty of Environmental Sciences &

Natural Resources, University of Al Fashir, P.O. Box 125, El Fasher, North Darfur,

Sudan

* Corresponding author: E-mail: abmjsiam@gmail.com Tel: 249 (0)911074403

االقتصادي للنباتات البرية الخشبية -التفاعل البيئي واالجتماعي

المستخدمة والمرتبطة بالغذاء في شمال دارفور

املستخلص

لتج ادددوهددت الدرتسد دد لع لملددولدت القددديلدرتدوتمدد لفاتددلمبلدر ودودد لدر دد لفد للللل

.لمشدد ل دس دلسلليلران داديلدرربم لدخلش لدريتلمتث لقاد سلرغداد لدنساددبلالل مد للللتق اد د

.لأخ رييلقندطقلدتدحل لفلقا طللفأملكتد ةلذديلدهلشدش لدر لدر در لأقددك لراتسد د للل

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دتاقلدحلتا لدرن دا لفتجل ل لوش لسلودلق لدرن داديلدرربمد لدخلشد لفدرديتلان اد للللللال

فد سدتسد لفدهللاد ولفدرادتسللللدت طل:لمثدس لأسلد لقنهدلاا تمليفلدرغاد .لع لمثدبلولد

أقددلدر اد لأسدلد لدرن دا د لد خد ل دريللللللل.لفدرتضد بلفدر ندت لفدراد ديللل(لمحد لأصو لفأس قل)

دراددددد د لفدتددددد ل:ليفلدرغددددداد لفدتددددد ا طلالدتجدددددتهدلىنددددددطقلدرتسد ددددد لهددددديدتاددددد تق ل

مرتدفحلوت لأ د لد د ةلقددلالد لللل.لفدحل دزفدرا حلفدهلشد فدرنرتفدرا ليلفدر ش فدرتو

اادددهبلدرن داددديل.ل دد لع لوشدد ةلليفلقندددطقلدرتسد دد لفلا ددربلدرهسدودد لس هدددلدر ادد لل

ريلدرغداد ل د لدم ا دديلدر مو د لأ ندد لدمدودديلللللللدرغاد لفخدص لدت طلاللضلحليفلادل ل

كددد لدرن دادددديلدخلشددد لدتاددد تق ليفلدرغددداد لف دددريلللل.لدرندجتددد لوددد لدملودددد لدت نددد سلل

2

دتا تق لاا بلأ فدسدلقها ليفلا همهلد ق لدرغاد لق لخال لدس دد لس دبلدرلتقدل لفصدلبللللل

داددديلدرغاد دد لقددولسددلد لدرنوالتقدد لدرددل ةلدرنادد ل .لدر دد لرادد لكاددبلدر دد لد خدد ل

دت طلفدرا د لم تمدبلمندلدلفف د ةلأ ضد ليفلللل.ل هالكهدلكدسالعجيدال اوض لدرندسل

جيبلأبلالضدوليفلدنو ددسلخ دطلدراد دس لفدر دل لللللل.لال ديلمشد ل دس لسلشتمتةلدملود

رغاد دد ليفليلران داددديلدرربمدد لد ا دد لدتق اددد لد تج ادددودتادد ت ا ليفلدر ودودد لدر دد لفد

ل.در ديلدملد لرشاد ل دس لس

Abstract

The study was conducted with the objective of gathering baseline

information and analyzing the environmental and socioeconomic

interactions of wild woody food plant resources in North Darfur State.

Three areas with highly fragile environments were selected (Malliet,

Malha and Umkaddada) as study sites. Field surveys on plant species

composition and stocking density and households were carried out

using stratified random sampling method. Plant field survey detected

seventeen indigenous wild woody plant species belonging to eight

families. Eight of which are used as food plants: Boscia senegalensis

(Makhait),Cordia rothii (Andarab), Balanites aegyptiaca (Haglieg),

Ziziphus spina-christi (Sidir; nabag ahmer), Ziziphus mauritiana (Sidr;

nabag asfer), Grewia tenax (Giddame), Capparis deciduas (Tundub),

and Grewia erythraea ( Saat). Other nine non food plant species

associated with study areas are Acacia tortilis (Sayal), Leptadenia

pyrotechnica (Marakh), Acacia mellifera (Kitir), Acacia nubica

(Laout), Caloptropis procera (Usher), Commiphora africana (Gafal),

Faidherbia albida (Haraz), Maerua crassifolia (Sarah) and Acacia

senegal (Hashab). In the study areas family size ranges between 6-10

3

persons and the farming is their main occupation. Wild plant foods

especially Mukhait contribute substantially to household food

provision for the rural communities during famine resulted from

recurrent drought. All woody plants play important roles in enhancing

food security as they provide fuel wood and conserving environment

for other livelihoods. Relationship between relative abundance of

edible woody plant species with the preference of their consumption

was positive. Mukhait and Sayal exhibit better growth and abundance

in extreme dry environments of the North Darfur region. Setting

conservation and future research plans on ecological and

socioeconomic interactions of native wild edible plants in arid

environment of North Darfur should be considered.

Key words: Indigenous wild plants, household food security, plant composition

and density, relative abundance, North Darfur

1- Introduction

Darfur has been severely hit by Sahel droughts and its associated

impacts leading to the decline of agricultural production. As a

consequence population displacement in large scales from the drought

prone areas to relatively promising ones occurred in recent decades.

These large scale movements created further serious problems such as

shortage in food, fodder and inability at hosting sites to absorb this

exodus resulting into group of marginal people. Therefore, most

attention has been given by researchers and policy makers to the

4

displaced people and their new settlements; however little interests

have been focused on the life of those remained in their original

homelands tackling the environmental difficulties. Studying and

analyzing the interactions of local rural communities with their

surroundings seem top priority for setting development strategies.

Assessment of indigenous knowledge and use devoted by rural

dwellers to wild plants species remain necessary for both ecological

and social aspects. The use and knowledge of wild edible plants is

better conserved in the community that is located farther away from

urban centers (Reyes-Garcia et al., 2005). Food shortage and lack is

very frequent in North Darfur due to rainfall scarcity or insect pests

(APU, 2011), thus people either to migrate or depend on food aids

provided by relief agencies. But swift access during food crisis is not

always possible due to security, logistic or any other reasons. In order

to reduce the dependency on the food aid, other food sources such as

wild plants should be sought and promoted.

Recently more attention was given to indigenous wild food

plants worldwide. According to Reddy et al., (2007) more than 3000

edible plant species are known to mankind but less than 30 crop

species contribute to more than 90% of the world calorie intake. The

contribution of wild plant species to household food supply varies

according to region and groups (Piya et al., 2011, Grosskinsky and

Gullick, 2000, Modi et al.,2006, Tiwari et al., 2010, Misra et al., 2008,

Reddy et al., 2007, and Mazhar et al., 2007). In Darfur the

consumption of wild-food plants seems to be one of the important

5

local survival strategies during famine periods. B. senegalensis

(Makhait) and Dactyloctenium aegyptium (Korabe) are traditionally

well known wild edible plants that play vital roles in minimizing

adverse effects of starvation in rural areas of Darfur. They are

backbones of household food security during food shortage crisis

particularly when there is no intervention for food aid by official

authorities or NGOs agencies. Scientific and formal intervention for

collection, identification, and testing for suitability of consumption by

human in addition to evaluate the extent of existence of wild food

plants remain very important. It is expected that studies on the

socioeconomic and environmental interactions of wild plants in North

Darfur could provide important information for development of

policies on rational exploitation of natural resources for human

sustenance and to reduce the human dependency on food aid provided

by the world community.

Areas, especially Malha, Malleit and Umkadada localities are

characterized by insufficient rainfall, drought and frequent shortage of

food; therefore they are selected as study area. The aim of this study is

to gather baseline information on abundance and composition of

native wild food and other associated woody plants and

socioeconomic indicators (family size, gender, education level, and

occupation) of local communities in three areas. Also the study aims

to assess edible parts, method and season of collection, quantity

produced per season, level of use and preference for consumption.

Such investigation could explore the most common species that used

6

as source of food by the majority of people and the relationship

between relative abundance and preference for consumption. Specific

objectives of the study were:

1- To identify woody wild food plants that are traditionally used by

the local communities as source of food particularly in the out

crops seasons /or during crisis in North Darfur.

2- To document indigenous knowledge and importance of wild-food

plants for the livelihood and survival strategies adopted by rural

people in food insecure areas in Malha, Malliet and UmKadada

localities.

3- To assess the composition and stocking density of native wild-

food and other associated woody plant species in these three areas.

3- Materials and Methods

3.1- description of study area

Malliet, Malha and Umkadada areas (Localities) were selected as

study sites as they are mostly vulnerable to drought and consequently

food insecurity. Malliet locates at latitude 14 15 N and longitude 25

27 E. Malha locates at latitude of 15 05 N and longitude 26

27 E.

Umkadada locates at latitudes 13 14 N and longitudes 26 37 E.

Malliet and Malha are located in the Northern part of North Darfur

State, which characterized by hilly slopes and depressions, while

Umkaddada located in the Eastern part of El Fasher and characterized

by sand dunes.

7

3.2- Data collection

For the determination of plant composition and stocking density,

90 sample plots, 0.5 hectare approximately 2.1 feddan (fed) each,

were selected and plants inside were counted and identified. Relative

abundance for each species was calculated using (Klironomos, 2002)

method as the percentage of locations containing that species. Edible

woody plants include trees and shrubs which their fruits, seeds, leaves,

and flowers are known to be eaten by rural people, while associated

woody plants involve those trees and shrubs grow alongside edible

ones in study areas.

Household and field surveys were carried out using stratified

random sampling method. A total of 334 respondents (Malliet 120,

Malha122 and Umkaddada 92) were randomly selected for the

household survey using semi-structured interviews. Additional

information was also obtained through key informants’ interviews and

group discussions. Questionnaires were used to collect socioeconomic

characteristics (viz. family size, gender, education level, occupation,

edible part, method of collection, season of collection, quantity

collected per plant per season, and preference for consumption).

Secondary data were obtained from pertinent reports and studies.

3.3. Statistical Analysis

For the calculation of means and percentage of variables the

Statistical Package of Social Science (SPSS) was used. Relationship

between means of different variables was established using excel

8

program regression analysis and the significance of correlations was

tested at P = 0.05.

4- Results

4.1- Plant species composition and abundance

Results showed that there are 17 indigenous wild tree and shrub

species in the study area, belonging to eight families as shown in

Tables (1) and (2). Eight of which are used as food plants namely:

Boscia senegalensis (Makhait),Cordia rothii (Andarab), Balanites

aegyptiaca (Haglieg), Ziziphus spina-christi (Sidir; nabag ahmer),

Ziziphus mauritiana (Sidr; nabag asfer), Grewia tenax (Giddame),

Capparis deciduas (Tundub), and Grewia erythraea ( Saat). The

highest diversity (15 species) per fed is found in Malha locality of

which six are used as food dominated by Haglieg with 34.1% relative

abundance and 52.5% regeneration out of edible trees. Makhait

regeneration ranks as second with 20% while Giddame exhibited no

regeneration. In Malliet 11 species were recorded, five of them are

food plants and dominated by Makhait 69.2% and 67.6% relative

abundance and regeneration respectively. Sidr comes next as 23.6%

relative abundance and 32.4 relative regeneration. While, Haglieg,

Giddame and Tundub showed no regeneration. In Umkadada locality

the total number of wild shrubs are eight, of which three species are as

food plants with Makhait showing the highest percentage of

abundance 90% and regeneration 82.4%. On the other hand Saat

which found only in Umkadada among the study areas showed poor

9

availability 8.6% and regeneration 17.6% while Haglieg abundance

equal only 1.4% with no regeneration.

The other nine non- food plants species (Table 2).) are Acacia tortilis

(Sayal), Leptadenia pyrotechnica (Marakh), Acacia mellifera (Kitir),

Acacia nubica (Laout), Caloptropis procera (Usher), Commiphora

africana (Gafal), Faidherbia albida (Haraz), Maerua crassifolia

(Sarah) and Acacia senegal (Hashab). The sayal tends to be the

dominant nonfood plants species in three areas representing 45.4%,

44.9%, and 41.2% in Malha, Malliet, and Umkaddada, respectively.

Its relative regeneration in Malha and Malliet represents 62% and

61% respectively, while in Umkadada no regeneration was found for

all non food shrubs and trees.

Table 1: Wild woody food plants composition, density, and regeneration in

Malha, Malliet, and Umkadada areas

Area Local

Arabic

name

of plant

Scientific

name

Family No.

of

plan

t /

fed

Relative

abundanc

e of plant

(%) / fed

Regeneratio

n

(relative

regeneration

) / fed

Malha

Haglieg

Makhait

Tundub

Andara

b

Gedame

Sidr

Balanites

aegyptiaca

Boscia

senegalensi

s

Caparis

decidua

Cordia

rothii

Grewia

tenax

Ziziphus

mauritiana

Balanitaceae

Caparidaceae

Caparidaceae

Bignoniacea

e

Tiliaceae

Rhamanacea

e

6.2

3.4

2.2

2.6

0.2

3.6

34.1

18.7

12.1

14.3

1.1

19.8

4.2 (52.5)

1.6 (20)

0.7 (8.8)

0.3 (3.7)

0 (0)

1.2 (15)

Haglieg

Makhait

Balanites

aegyptiaca

Balanitaceae

Caparidaceae

0.7

12.9

3.8

69.2

0 (0)

5 (67.6)

11

Malliet Tundub

Gedame

Sidr

Boscia

senegalensi

s

Caparis

decidua

Grewia

tenax

Ziziphus

spina-

christi

Caparidaceae

Tiliaceae

Rhamanacea

e

0.3

0.3

4.3

1.6

1.6

23.6

0 (0)

0 (0)

2.4 (32.4)

Umkadad

a

Haglieg

Makhait

Saat

Balanites

aegyptiaca

Boscia

senegalensi

s

Grewia

erythraea

Balanitaceae

Caparidaceae

Tiliaceae

0.2

12.6

1.2

1.4

90

8.6

0 (0)

1.4 (82.4)

0.3 (17.6)

Table 2: Non food wild woody plants composition, density and regeneration in

Malha, Malliet, and Umkadada areas

Area Local

arabic

name

of

plant

Scientific

name

Family No.

of

plan

t /

fed

Relative

abundanc

e of plant

(%) / fed

Regeneratio

n

(relative

regeneration

) / fed

Malha

Sayal

Marak

h

Sarha

Hasha

b

Kitir

Laout

Ushar

Gafal

Haraz

Acacia

tortilis

Leptadenia

pyrotechnic

a

Maerua

crassifolia

Acacia

senegal

Acacia

mellifera

Acacia

nubaica

Caloptropis

procera

Commiphor

a africana

Faidherbia

albida

Mimosaceae

Asclepiadacea

e

Capparidiacea

e

Mimosaceae

Mimosaceae

Mimosaceae

Asclepiadacea

e

Burseraceae

Mimosaceae

8.9

2.6

0.7

0.5

1.8

1.8

1.4

1.2

0.7

45.4

13.3

3.6

2.6

9.2

9.2

7.1

6.1

3.6

6.7 (62)

0.8 (7.4)

0.2 (1.9)

0 (0)

1.3 (12)

0.3 (2.8)

0.3 (2.8

1 (9.3)

0.2 (1.9)

11

Malliet

Sayal

Marak

h

Sarha

Hasha

b

Laout

Haraz

Acacia

tortilis

Leptadenia

pyrotechnic

a

Maerua

crassifolia

Acacia

senegal

Acacia

nubica

Faidherbia

albida

Mimosaceae

Asclepiadacea

e

Capparidiacea

e

Mimosaceae

Mimosaceae

Mimosaceae

5.3

2.6

2.2

0.3

0.7

0.7

44.9

22

18.6

2.5

5.9

5.9

5 (61)

0.8 (9.8)

1.4 (17.1)

0 (0)

0.8 (9.8)

0.2 (2.4)

Umkadad

a

Sayal

Marak

h

Sarha

Hasha

b

Gafal

Acacia

tortilis

Leptadenia

pyrotechnic

a

Maerua

crassifolia

Acacia

senegal

Commiphor

a africana

Mimosaceae

Asclepiadacea

e

Capparidiacea

e

Mimosaceae

Burseraceae

0.7

0.3

0.2

0.3

0.2

41.2

17.6

11.8

17.6

11.8

0 (0)

0 (0)

0 (0)

0 (0)

0 (0)

4.2- Socioeconomic characteristics

Table 3 shows that the family size ranges between 6-10 persons as

indicated by the majority of the respondents (70% in Malleit, 65.2% in

Umkadada, and 43.4% in Malha). Male respondents are higher than

the females in Malha and Umkadada representing 57.4% and 59.8%

relative to 42.6 and 40.2% female, respectively. Majority of the

respondents have acquired Khalwa and primary school levels. Malha

shows high illiteracy (29.5%) compared to other areas, while

Umkadada showed no illiteracy. The results exhibited that no

respondent has acquired University level. Farming is the main

occupation for most of the respondents. Nearly all the respondents in

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the study areas used/using wild food plants (Fig. 1) during different

times and occasions. Table 3: Socioeconomic characteristics of respondents in Malha, Malliet, and

Umkadada areas

Area Famil

y size

(6-10

person

s) %

Sex% Educatio

n%

Occupatio

n%

Mal

e

Fema

le

Literate illitera

te

farme

rs

herders othe

rs

Malha 43.4 57.

4

42.6 70.5 29.5 42.62 16.4 41

Malliet 70 49.

2

50.8 99.2 0.8 61.7 0 38.3

UmKada

da

65.2 59.

8

40.2 100 0 45.7 0 54.3

Figure 1: Level of wild food shrubs and tree use by interviewees in three

localities

13

Edible parts, quantities of fruits, method and season of collection are

shown in Table 4. About eight wild tree species used as food in the

study area. The results have shown that about six indigenous wild tree

species used as food in Malha, five in Malliet, and four species in

Umkadada. It is important to note that not all the edible species

indicated by respondents were found in sampling areas. For instance

Grewia villosa (Gargadan) is used in Malliet but was not detected

during field data collection. Three species are common to the three

areas (Makhait, Sidir and Gidame). While Heglieg is commonly used

in Malliet and Malha, Andarab is used mostly in Malha, whereas Saat

only used in Umkadada.

Table 4: Quantity, method and season of collection of edible fruits of wild

shrubs and trees

Species Edible part Collection

method

Collection

season

Quantity / kg

/plant /

season

Boscia

senegalensis

fruit + seed Picking March to June 1-20

Ziziphus spp fruit + seed Shaking Nov to Jan 20

Balanites

aegyptiaca

fruit Shaking Dec to Feb 20

Cordia rothii fruit Picking Jan to Mar 1-5

Grewia tenax fruit Picking Dec to Jul 1-5

Grewia

erythraea

fruit Picking Aug to Oct 1-5

Grewia villosa fruit Picking Sep to Mar 1-5

Fruits and seeds are the most used parts; they are either extracted

through direct hand picking and /or by shaking the tree and collecting

14

the fallen fruits from the ground. Collection season varies according to

plant species as mentioned. The results reveal that through year round

there is a certain food plant that can be collected. Makhait is mostly

collected during March-June where the green unripe fruits during

March and the ripe ones during June. Quantities collected per plant

per season, Makhait produces 12 kg as average, Sidr and Haglieg

produce more than 20 kg while the rest plant species produce 1-5 kg

per plant per season.

Preference of plant as food by respondents is shown in Table 5.

Makhait is the dominant preferred wild food plant species that used in

the three areas as mentioned by the interviewees 88% in Umkaddada,

41% in Malha and 26.7% in Malliet respectively.

Table 5: Rank of preference for consumption of wild food plant species in

three areas

Malha Malliet Umkadada

Boscia

senegalensis (41)

Boscia

senegalensis

(26.7)

Boscia

senegalensis (88)

Ziziphus spina-

christi (28.7)

Balanites

aegyptiaca (15)

Grewia tenax

(6.5) Species (preference

%) Cordia rothii

(14.8)

Grewia tenax (9.2) Ziziphus spina

christi (1.1)

Grewia tenax

(11.5)

Ziziphus spina-

christi (4.2)

Balanites

aegyptiaca (3.3)

Grewia vilosa

(1.7)

Order of species preference is locality specific, hence varies among

the three areas. Strong positive correlation (R = 0.78) between relative

preference and abundance of tree species was established (Fig. 2).

15

Figure 2: Relationship between relative abundance and preference of wild

food shrubs and trees in Malha, Malleit and Umkadada areas

5- Discussion

Based on this study findings it could be noted that there are

seventeen species of indigenous wild trees and shrubs found in the

area belonging to eight families. With regard to the edible plants,

Boscia senegalensis show dominance in term of abundance and

regeneration in Malliet and Umkaddada locality, while Balanites

aegyptiaca acts so in Malha. Despite the intensive use of B.

sengalensis fruits and seeds, it tends to well thrive in north Darfur.

This implicates that the species well regenerates and grows; hence the

consumption by community members does not threaten its survival.

As stated by Cruz et al., (2013) conservation of the species is not

16

endangered by their use but by destruction of the ecosystems in which

these plants grow.

The other nine non- food plants species are also of great

importance as fodder, fuel wood, building materials, timber,

environmental protection in addition to other multiple uses. Sayal (A.

tortilis) tree species flourish relatively better than the others

particularly in Malha and Malliet whereas the average number of

regeneration is about seven and five per fed respectively while for the

rest species the number ranges from one to zero. In Umkadada the

situation is appalling because no regeneration has been observed for

both food and non food shrubs and trees except Makhait (B.

sengalensis). Thus, B. senegalensis and A. tortilis seem well adaptable

to the extreme dry environment of the region. Relative abundance and

regeneration of these species are likely due to drought and adverse

conditions tolerance. These two species deserve special consideration

in any conservation plans of plants’ species. Because Mukhait plant is

valued as human food with high protein content about 20-30%

(Maydell, 1990 and Siam et al., 2011) and Sayal is valued as animal

fodder and shade source during dry hot summers and grows in

extreme diverse acting the symbol of the tree limit towards the desert

(Maydell, 1990). Most Sahelo -Sahara tree species tolerate drought

extending over eleven months and resist daily temperatures above 50

oC and winter night below 0

oC.

In socio-economic characteristics the average family size ranges

between six to ten persons and generally the males are outnumbered

17

females among interviewees. As there is no specific livelihood activity

confining specific social gender, the higher number of males could not

change the collective response of interviewees. Acquisition of

majority of the respondents only khalwa and primary school levels

might become evident that advanced education level would change the

living standard and attitude of community towards wild food plants.

The use of wild edible plants can be abandoned by some people,

because using of wild plant species as food is considered to be

synonymous with poverty (Cruz et al., 2013). Moreover, easy access

of local communities to industrialized products induces loss of

indigenous knowledge and traditional practices related to natural

resources (Reyes-Garcia, 2005). However, the education level and

farming practice of most respondents in addition to consumption of

wild food plants as main or additional meal by all of them in the study

likely to encourage the promotion of use and management.

Consumption and promotion of the plants by community members is

convenient and stimulates the appropriation and consequent protection

of ecosystem. Gathering of biological resources for daily use is

associated with the maintenance of a strong cultural tradition (Altieri

et al., 1987). This could be supported by safety fruits and seeds

extraction methods adopted by users in this study. Whereas,

collection methods are not destructive as do the other methods like

felling the trees or breaking the branches.

Obtaining magnitude of wild edible fruits over different seasons

seems to be great advantage for rural communities especially during

18

natural disasters. Throughout the year there is a certain food plant that

can be collected. It is worth noting that people consume fruits of

Haglieg, Sidir, Andarab, Giddame,Tundub, and Saat as

complementary food while use seeds of mukait as major food

particularly during famine. Many people in rural areas especially in

remote villages still belief that Makhait is the best defense line against

the famine resulted from recurrent drought. Because it usually bears

seeds during dry period and produce more seeds following the season

of scarce rainfall, furthermore its fruits availability lasts four months

from March to June. Although preference for plant species as food is

locality specific (Table 5), the positive correlation between relative

abundance and preference for consumption of plant species was found

(Fig. 2). This finding is in line with the statement that, strong

relationship was established between more known edible species and

their specific locations (Ladio et al., 2007, and Cruz et al., 2013). The

wide use and knowledge of local farmers could be used to encourage

the adoption of agroforestry and community forests of edible and

economic plants which is crucial for maintenance and conservation of

ecosystem. Initiation and adoption of programs for indigenous edible

plants protection and planting do not only contribute to household

food security, but also to provide other livelihoods and to conserve the

environment for its own sake (Sayer and Campbell, 2004). Such

programs could also compensate for the absence of or presence of

very few environment and natural resources based projects in North

Darfur.

19

In conclusion the seventeen species of indigenous wild woody

plants found in the area, eight of which are edible should receive

attention for further understanding of their environmental and socio-

economic interactions to set strategies for achieving immediate

benefits for local people and at the same time could sustain long term

use of environment and natural resources. Among all species Boscia

senegalensis as edible plant and Acacia tortilis as associated species

exhibited better growth and survival in extreme dry environments of

North Darfur region, thus deserve special focus in any conservation

plans.

Acknowledgement

Authors thank WFP North Darfur office for financial support and

travel facilities provided during this study. The research was

conducted within Strategic Partnership between World Food

Programme WFP and Faculty of Environmental Sciences and Natural

Resources FESNR, University of Al Fashir on Food Assistance

Monitoring, Operational research and Capacity Building in North

Darfur. Authors also thank Dr. Yousif Jimpy for providing

coordinates data of the areas.

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