Economics of On-farm Production of Indigenous Fruits - Indigenous Fruit Trees in the Tropics: Domestication, Utilization and Commercialization - page 246

The area around the trees is weeded when weeding the field, which is generally
done twice during the rainy season. Since most trees grow near or in
agricultural fields, they benefit from manure and fertilizer application to the
crops, which is carried out once at the beginning of the wet season. Only two
of the 19 farmers of the households monitored in Murehwa had applied
manure purposely to U. kirkiana trees. All farmers report that trees in their
fields bear more fruits over a longer period than trees from the commons,
which they attribute to the application of manure.
However, EFTs, such as avocado and mango, are managed more
intensively. This includes watering, weeding, fertilizing, pruning and mulching.
The trees are generally protected from livestock damage by a fence that has to
be repaired regularly. Also, dead or damaged branches are regularly removed,
and micro-catchments (small trenches that preserve moisture and water around
the tree) are built and maintained.
It can be expected that an orchard of IFTs would require similar management
to that of EFTs. Table 13.4 presents the management of EFTs as practised by
households in Murehwa and Takawira. For example, watering ensures survival
and growth, especially for younger seedlings. Weeding and fertilization improve
the nutritional condition of the tree, whereas pruning promotes growth and
facilitates harvesting. Mulching maintains moisture around the tree. Fencing is
necessary to protect small seedlings from livestock damage. Pesticide spraying,
however, is not necessary, as IFTs are locally adapted and are less susceptible to
pests and diseases than EFTs are.
The last column of Table 13.4 describes the management measures for
planted IFTs as assumed in the investment analysis. Most of the management

Table 13.4. Labour inputs for management of exotic fruit trees in Murehwa and Takawira and
specification for indigenous fruit tree orchards.

Exotic fruit tree orchards
Labour Frequency Specification for indigenous

Task (h/tree) a (/year) b Season c fruit tree orchards

Watering 0.8 1-18 DS Trees <4 years: once per week, DS

Trees >4 years: once per year, DS

Weeding 0.6 2 WS As exotic fruit trees

Fertilizing 0.6 1 Before WS As exotic fruit trees

Pruning 0.7 1 DS As exotic fruit trees

Cutting dead and 0.4 52 DS Included in miscellaneous costs

damaged branches
Mulching

0.4 1 DS As exotic fruit trees

Building of fences 1.1 1 DS Once after planting

Maintenance of fences Included in miscellaneous costs

Micro-catchments 0.4 1 WS As exotic fruit trees

a Mean over all households, both locations.
b Mode over all households, both locations.
c DS: dry season; WS: wet season.
Source: Mithöfer (2005).