School of Forestry, Environmental and Geographical Sciences (SFEGS) Collections

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Browsing School of Forestry, Environmental and Geographical Sciences (SFEGS) Collections by Author "Abohassan, Refaat Atalla Ahmed"
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    Contribution of wild and semi-wild food plants to overall household diet in Bunyoro-Kitara Kingdom, Uganda
    (Medwell Journals, 2011) Agea, Jacob Godfrey ; Kimondo, James Munga ; Okia, Clement Akais ; Abohassan, Refaat Atalla Ahmed ; Obua, Joseph ; Hall, John ; Teklehaimanot, Zewge
    The contribution of Wild and Semi-wild Food Plants (WSWFPs) to overall household diet was assessed in Mutunda and Kiryandongo, sub-counties of Bunyoro-Kitara Kingdom, Uganda. The assessments were made using a combination of methods namely: household using semi-structured questionnaires and Focus Group Discussion (FGDs). A total of 385 households from the two sub-counties were selected for household survey following the method described by Krejcie and Morgan. Each informant was asked to list, the preferred WSWFPs consumed in the area and to estimate the amount harvested by members of his or her household in the previous 12 months period. In addition, they were asked to report whether or not WSWFPs were used by members of the household during the previous 12 months period. They were also asked to respond whether or not the WSWFPs was given away and or received by members of the household during the previous 12 months period. In addition, they were asked to estimate how long in a year their household members depend on WSWFPs. FGDs were held to construct seasonal calendar of availability of different WSWFPs consumed in the area. Contribution of WSWFPs to household diet was computed using two generic types of measures-mean per capita harvest and mean per capita use (consumption). The durations upon which households depend on WSWFPs was computed and presented in a chat. About 62 WSWFPs belonging to 31 botanical families were responded as commonly being consumed in the study area. Their consumption comprised a major part (7-9 months) of the dietary intake of the poor households. Many are almost available throughout the year for gathering with exception of a few species that are gathered mainly in the rainy or dry season. Mean per capita harvests varied substantially by species as high as 31 59 g day-1in Amaranthus dubius to about 0.04 g day-1 as in Lantana camara. Like mean per capita harvest mean per capita consumption also varied from one species to another. Mean per capita consumption of some the WSWFPs such as Hyptis spicigera (107.02 g day-1) and Borassus aethiopum (91.82 g day-1) were higher than the reported vegetable and fruit per capita consumption of 79.45 g day-1 in sub-Saharan Africa although, much although much lower than the world average of 205.48 g consumed per person per day. There is a need for policy-makers and technocrats both at the local (counties, sub-counties, parishes, villages) and national levels ( e g , Ministry of Agriculture, Animal Industry and Fisheries) to create policies by-laws or any other avenues for mainstreaming, the management of some of the WSWFPs with high per capita harvest and per capita consumption rates into the existing, the fanning systems and or any the programs (e.g., Plan for Modernisation of Agriculture) aimed at addressing household poverty and food insecurity. While wild foods cannot entirely bridge, the existing supply and demand gaps of poor household food requirements without them, the gaps would be much wider.
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    Estimating fruit yield from Vitex payos (Lour) Merr. In semi-arid Eastern province of Kenya: application of allometric equations.
    (Medwell Journals, 2011) Kimondo, James Munga ; Okia, Clement Akais ; Abohassan, Refaat Atalla Ahmed ; Mulatya, Jackson ; Teklehaimanot, Zewge ; Agea, Jacob Godfrey
    Vitex payos (Lour) Merr. is a common species in the semi-arid areas of Eastern Kenya. It is a favoured species and is frequently maintained in homestead plots and arable fields in an agroforestry situation. Although the abundance and popularity of Vitex payos has led to the commercialisation of its fruits, their quantities to sustainability support cottage industries in the rural areas has not been considered. Vitex payos trees were surveyed during fruit season and the quantity of fruits for 120 trees distributed on farm lands and bushlands in three districts counted per tree. Mean fruit yield was significantly higher from farm trees (>6145 fruits per tree) than trees in bushlands areas (>4154 fruits per tree), even after accounting for differences in tree size. Few cases of trees with over 21,000 fruits were also recorded from both land uses. Although, the majority of the trees produce <5000 fruits per tree per year, though purposeful selection of germplasm in its wide natural range, production could be increased up to four fold. A fairly accurate prediction of fruits per tree and consequently the quantity available from the farms could be achieved through use of a combined logarithmic and inverse transformation equations using the crown diameter and the tree height. However, considering that the Vitex payos grows in more diverse dryland areas in Kenya including the Eastern, Coastal and Central regions, it is prudent to collect more data from all these areas and test the validity of the equation developed in this study for wide-scale application as a management tool.
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    Perennial biomass production in arid mangrove systems on the Red Sea coast of Saudi Arabia
    (Medwell Joumals, 2012) Abohassan, Refaat Atalla Ahmed ; Okia, Clement Akais ; Agea, Jacob Godfrey ; Kimondo, James Munga ; Morag M., McDonald
    Above and below biomass production were estimated in two Avicennia marina mangrove stands in Yanbu and Shuaiba region on the Red sea coast of Saudi Arabia. Allometric equations were used to estimate above ground biomasses including stem, branches, leaves and total biomass while aerial and fine roots were estimated using ground plots and random coring, respectively. Linear relationships on log-log scale with tree DBH and height as predictor parameters best described the biomass variation. The total aboveground biomass in Shuaiba, (18.58 ha-1) was significantly higher than that of Yanbu (10.77 t ha-1) (p<0.05). Shuaiba also had significantly higher aerial and fine roots (23.7 and 96.42 t ha-1) than Yanbu (10.1 and 39.1 t had-1, respectively) (p<0.05). Overall, aboveground biomass of the two sites was 14.77 t ha-1whle belowground fine roots was 67.8 t ha-1 and a shoot to root ratio of 0.22 indicating high biomass allocation to roots. These findings are the first reported for the Red sea mangroves and were comparable to estimates reported in other locations at similar extreme environmental condition. In addition, these finding can serve as a baseline study for monitoring annual biomass increment as a function of site productivity and health.
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    Vitex payos (Lour.) Merr fruit trees in the drylands areas of Eastern Kenya: use, marketing and management.
    (Medwell Journals, 2010) Kimondo, James Munga ; Agea, Jacob Godfrey ; Okia, Clement Akais ; Abohassan, Refaat Atalla Ahmed ; Mulatya, Jackson ; Teklehaimanot, Zewge
    This study explored the local use, marketing and management of Vitex payos in drylands areas of Eastern Kenya. Data were collected through household surveys using semi-structured questionnaires; transect walks, informal discussions and direct observations. Questionnaire responses were analysed to generate descriptive statistics using Statistical Package for Social Sciences (SPSS) while graphs were generated using Excel. Vitex payos fruits were found to be used in >90% of the households and the management of the fruit trees was incidental rather than deliberate. A majority of farmers (>80%) pruned the Vitex payos trees found in the farm to reduce shading effects on the associated crop plants. Coppices from cut trees were managed to provide new crops. Some farmers smoked the flowering and fruiting trees to repel the flying insect pests while a few others sprinkled ash at the base of the tree to deter crawling insects. Besides the consumption of Vitex payos fruits as snacks and sale for income generation, fruits were used for making herbal medicine. The wood was used for timber, fuel wood and tool handles. The naturally ripe and fallen fruits were collected on the ground although a few gatherers harvested fruits from climbing and shaking the tree or branches to dislodge the fruits. Within households, the fruits were spread on mats under shade for 1 – 3 days before taking to the market. Traditionally, mature unripe fruits are placed in buckets and covered with wood ash to hasten ripening. Taste of the fruits was the main criteria used by consumers to select the best fruits. Farmers retained on their farmlands trees with high fruit productivity and those that produce sweet fruits. Ripe fruits were sold on farms, roadside stalls, and local markets either by gatherers themselves or through fruit vendors. Gatherers and fruit vendors suffer heavy losses due to fruit damage during transportation to the markets. Lack of storage facilities and low market value lowers the overall income from the sales of the fruits. Small land sizes and lack of planting material negatively affected farmers planting of the trees. There is need to promote the fruits through initiating processing activities to improve on their shelf life and to add value to generate higher income at the farm level. Processing of fruits into high value products like fruit jam and juices should be explored. Increasing the accessibility and availability of good planting material should be explored through vegetative propagation techniques to capture desired traits such as taste, size and high tree productivity