A 20-Year Journey Through an Orphan African Baobab (Adansonia digitata L.) Towards Improved Food and Nutrition Security in Africa

Abstract

The African baobab (Adansonia digitata L.) is a multipurpose orphan tree species of the semi-arid and sub-humid Sub-Saharan Africa where it plays an important role in rural livelihoods. Its wide distribution and dense nutrition properties make it an important species for food and nutrition security in Africa. However, despite the increasing interest in the species over the past two decades, the full potential of baobab remains underexploited. This review highlights strides made over the past 20 years (2001–2020) towards harnessing and unlocking the potential values of baobab in Benin, West Africa, to contribute to food and nutrition security. Challenges and threats are identified, and next steps suggested to guide research and development initiatives for orphan tree fruit species like baobab to address hunger and malnutrition in Africa.

Aboveground carbon storage in Adansonia digitata L. (Baobab) in Mkanana agroforestry and Mangalisa forest reserve in Mpwapwa District, Tanzania

“…Adansonia digitata L. (baobab) is an indigenous plant in arid and semi-arid regions of mainland Africa (Patrut et al, 2015). Baobab is among the plant species that are commonly called orphan plants because of receiving little attention in international marketing of their products (Assogbadjo et al, 2021). It is a deciduous tree, growing up to 20 or 30 m tall, with a diameter ranging between 2 and 10 m at maturity (Rahul et al, 2015).…”

Attenuation of nitrate from aqueous solution using raw and surface modified biosorbents from Adansonia digitata fruit pericarp

“…Baobab trees are also found plenty in South Africa, Botswana, Namibia, Zimbabwe, Benin, Mali, Malawi, Ghana, Kenya, Ethiopia, and other African countries. For instance, the baobab density in Benin ranges from one to five trees per square kilometre ( Assogbadjo et al., 2021 ). The baobab fruit is used by the majority of people as medicine for the treatment of gastrointestinal-related diseases.…”

Mapping every adult baobab (Adansonia digitata L.) across the Sahel to uncover the co-existence with rural livelihoods

“…Posted Date: August 14th, 2023 DOI: https://doi.org/10.21203/rs.3.rs-3243009/v1 License:   This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International License. Read Full License important to quantify their abundance at national scales 14 . This is particularly true in times where plantations of fast growing and easily marketed species, such as Eucalyptus 15,16,17 , are promoted throughout the tropics, which often do not provide the same level of bene ts, such as nutrition.…”

“…Mapping of individual tree species at large scale creates economic opportunities, but inevitably also involves a danger in relation to over-exploitation of local resources. This is in particular problematic for areas where local people strongly depend on the resources provided by trees, which is the case for baobabs in West Africa 14,15,19,36,37 . Here, a better understanding of where to conserve and invest in long-term sustainable use can support the development of rural communities and promote value chains 28,36,37,38 .…”