Market survey of indigenous fruits in Nairobi markets, Kenya
Ruth Kagai Adeka and Esther Bosibori Omosa
Program and Abstracts, 4th International Symposium on Tropical and Subtropical Fruits, November 3-7 2008, Bogor, Indonesia. 215 pages.
2008
บทคัดย่อ
Market survey of indigenous fruits in Nairobi markets, Kenya
Indigenous fruits play a vital role to the diets of many communities in Kenya. They are important sources of vital nutrients (carbohydrates, proteins) and vitamins and they complement and supplement diets. Some communities especially nomads and pastoralist rely entirely upon indigenous fruits during drought or food shortages. About 400 indigenous fruit species have been documented in Kenya and numbers of them are collected from the wild. Some fruits are in demand when season are available in both informal markets and supermarkets.
A market survey carried in 2004-2006 in 25 market outlets in Nairobi revealed that approximately 50 species of fruits were sold in their fresh and semi processed form. Of these, only 6 species were indigenous to Kenya, Ziziphusmauritiana, Adansoniadigitata, Tamarindusindica, Passifloraedulis, Cucumismetuliferusand Carissa spinarum. Exotic fruits which dominated the market also exhibited a high genetic diversity than the indigenous fruits. Most of the indigenous fruits in the Nairobi markets calls for a number of interventions including enhanced commercialization to meet the demand, developing markets for indigenous fruits and promoting utilization through nutrition education.