S P E C I A L F E A T U R E S 5 NWFPS AND THEIR ROLE • Baobab (Adansonia digitata), camel- health and safety considerations, is required %IN FOOD SECURITY AND foot (Bauhinia thonningii) and black to produce pure phytopharmaceuticals used HEALTH CARE plum (Vitex doniana) are excellent in modern medicine. Moreover, as these sources of calcium. The baobab seed compounds naturally occur in small NWFPs for food and medicine kernel is also rich in protein (28.7 quantities in a plant, large volumes of raw Foodstuffs. In recent years, NWFPs have percent dry weight) and fat (29.5 material have to be processed to enable attracted considerable global interest percent). As such, it is an important economies of scale. (Source: Elaine because of the increasing recognition that source of vegetable oil for household Marshall and Cherukat Chandrasekharan. not only can they improve rural livelihoods, cooking. 2009. Non-farm income from non-wood household food security and nutrition, but Medicine. Some 35 000 plant species have forest products. FAO Diversification Booklet their harvest may be more ecologically been used for medicinal purposes. An 12. Rome, FAO, Rural Infrastructure and benign than that of timber. estimated 80 percent of the world’s Agro-Industries Division.) Edible NWFPs used as food staples, population depends largely on traditional supplements and additives include natural medicines – mostly derived from Honey is both a superfood and medicine bushmeat, honey, edible fruits and nuts, plants. Over 25 percent of the drugs in Honey is the partially digested flower leaves, shoots, tubers, whole plants and modern pharmacopoeias are originally plant nectar regurgitated from a bee’s stomach. fungi. They are important food sources for derived, either as pure It is also one of the most diverse and forest-dependent communities. phytopharmaceuticals extracted from delicious foods on Earth. plants, or as synthetic derivatives. Forest Honey has been used as food and flora and fauna are a hidden chest of organic medicine for perhaps 10 000 years and has chemicals, including phytochemicals, aroma been cultivated by humans for at least 3 000 GLOBAL DISTRIBUTION OF DIFFERENT chemicals and agrochemicals. The years. We know it today as a substitute for SPECIES YIELDING EDIBLE NWFPS anticancer compound taxol is extracted from white granulated sugar but, for most of the Pacific yew (Taxus brevifolia), and history, honey was the basic source of food Africa. Desert date (Balanites aegyptica), phytochemicals from Pterocarpus osum are sweetening, and sugar only recently became twisted cluster or stink bean (Parkia used in treating sickle-cell disease. The more popular as a low-cost alternative. speciosa), Chinese date (Zizyphus origins of traditional herbal medicine However, when the benefits of honey are zizyphus), mango (Mangifera spp.) and predate all existing records, and the considered, the cost should be irrelevant. the neem tree (Melia azadirachta). knowledge accumulated over thousands of In addition to its many culinary uses, Asia. Cashew (Anacardium occidentale), years in different parts of the world is vast. honey has a long and impressive résumé as mangostein (Garcinia mangostana), All the agro-ecological regions and a medicinal healer. In traditional medicine tengkawang (Shorea stenoptera), milk subregions have a large number of it has been used for treating gastric ulcers, fruit (Chrysophyllum spp.), gooseberry medicinal plants that are used locally, for burns, high blood pressure, sore throats (Ribes uva-crispa), sea buckthorn example: Alstonia scholaris, Aconitum and dry coughs. (Hippophae spp.) and cardamom heterophyllum, Aegle marmelos, Modern medicine is also now recognizing (Elettaria and Amomum spp.). Cinnamomum camphora, Aquilaria sp., the medicinal benefits of honey. In 2007, Latin America. Brazil nut (Bertholletia Emblica officinalis, Panax sp. and research at Penn State College of Medicine excelsa), bacuri (Platonia insignis), camu- Tinospora crispa in parts of Asia; Tagetes (United States of America) concluded that a camu (Myrciaria dubia), cupuassu glandulifera, Mauritia flexuosa, small amount of buckwheat honey before (Theobroma grandiflorum) and jatoba Pithecellobium avaremotemo, Chinchona bed was more effective than over-the- (Hymenaea courbaril). sp. and Hyptis pectinata in parts of Central counter cough suppressants for children and South America; and Prunus africana, over two years of age. Also in 2007, the FDA Curtisia pentata, Cryptocarya myrtifolia, (United States Food and Drug Gnetum africanum and Catharanthus Administration) approved a line of wound In several African countries, wild fruits roseus in parts of Africa. care dressings lined in honey. Because play an important role in people’s diets and Traditional medicines for local use involve honey is high in sugar and low in moisture it contribute to the economy of the rural simple preparation methods such as hot and has been traditionally used to fight bacterial community. A study of indigenous edible cold water extraction, expression of juice growth, producing hydrogen peroxide as it fruits carried out by the University of after crushing, powdering of dried material, draws moisture from wounds. It also Malawi found the following. formulation of powder into pastes via such contributes to reduced swelling and • Fruits of the monkey bread tree vehicles as water, oil or honey and even inflammation. (Adansonia digitata), kharub (Bauhinia fermentation after adding a sugar source. In addition, honey has been shown to aid thonningii) and chocolate berry (Vitex Preparation of standard extracts and their digestion, and an Oklahoma allergist even sp.) are excellent sources of vitamin C. conversion into dosage forms are activities claims that one teaspoon of raw honey every • Wild custard apple (Anona that can be undertaken as a rural-based day is effective to treat 90 percent of senegalensis) and Natal mahogany small industry to meet the demands of local allergies. (Trichilia emetica) are rich in protein. populations. This is essential in areas where The best honey to buy is raw organic • Governor’s plum (Flacourtia indica) traditional medicines are the main form of straight from the hive. Most honey is and the snake bean tree (Syzygium treatment for illness. Additional processing pasteurized and the heating process destroys guineense) are rich sources of iron. with sophisticated machinery, and also with some of the beneficial properties of the NON-WOOD NEWS No. 20 January 2010 6 S P E C I A L F E A T U R E S honey, including some of the phytonutrients. were collected through 16 key informant Ramón nut: a little nut with big Raw honey is a creamy solid, not liquid, and interviews, three focus group discussions, possibilities contains propolis, sometimes called "bee 52 household level questionnaire surveys Planted by the ancient Maya in their forest glue", that honeybees use to seal the hive (21 female and 31 male respondents) and gardens and once found throughout and make it safe from bacteria. Propolis direct observation. Central America, the ramón tree has antibacterial, antiviral and antifungal The study found that the main sources of (Brosimum alicastrum) towers above its properties. Raw honey also contains other household production are agriculture and neighbouring trees in Guatemala’s Maya phytonutrients that have cancer-preventing livestock, with MAPs contributing around 12 Biosphere Reserve, providing a habitat for and anti-tumour properties and may help percent of total household production (5 spider and howler monkeys, retaining soils prevent colon cancer. percent in Baitadi and 18 percent in and water and helping to regulate the Children under the age of 12 months Darchula). climate. But it is the fruit of the ramón that should not be given honey since their Most of the households agreed that the holds the greatest potential for immature digestive systems cannot process contribution of MAPs in household communities within the reserve and could botulism spores that can be present in production is high; 39 percent of respondents provide them with a key to alleviating honey, maple syrup and corn syrup, but agreed that it made a moderate change in poverty, conserving forests, improving which older systems can handle. their food security, followed by significant health and nourishing their children. Honeybees are in danger of disappearing change (25 percent), no change (24 percent), Locals have long collected the chocolate- from the United States of America because minimum change (12 percent) and no flavoured ramón or Maya nut, roasting it of colony collapse disorder and this, responses for highly significant. The over an open flame (or drying it with combined with other factors, will continue to collection of MAPs has a significant impact on heaters) before grinding it into flour that raise the price of honey. But pay up. This is food security for poor and MAPs-dependent acts as the basis for an assortment of pure gold. (Source: examiner.com [United people. Similarly, of the ten options that popular foods. While its nutritious States of America], 2 September 2009.) MAPs provide (improved livelihood, properties are widely known throughout the diversified livelihood, increase in marketing region, until recently no clearly defined Medicinal and aromatic plants and their access, increase in income, increase in strategy existed for incorporating the nuts role in attaining food security in the high knowledge, food security, increase in into the diets of Guatemala’s