Economics of On-farm Production of Indigenous Fruits - Indigenous Fruit Trees in the Tropics: Domestication, Utilization and Commercialization - page 250

13.6 Conclusions

The results presented here have implications for assessing the prospects of the
domestication programme of IFTs of southern Africa. So far, Zimbabwean
farmers have rarely planted IFTs and instead turn to EFT species, which are
perceived to be superior due to higher economic returns. Also, the farmers of
the research sites perceive U. kirkiana (the indigenous fruit that is most widely
marketed) as sufficiently abundant in the communal areas. This is reflected in
relatively high returns on labour of collecting indigenous fruits from the
communal areas. Under the current level of density of IFTs in the woodlands,
collection also compares well with other income-generating activities such as
agriculture and horticulture, as described by Mithöfer and Waibel (2003).
However, these results will change as IFTs become scarcer through deforestation.
The investment analysis suggests that further biological research on IFTs
should concentrate on inducing precocity and increasing fruit quality.
Increasing fruit yield is less important in improving the economics of tree
planting. With respect to the increased fruit quality, further research is needed
in order to assess the potential willingness of consumers to pay for enhanced
fruit quality. Referring to the findings of Ramadhani (2002), domestication
research work could target traits that are most preferred by consumers and
imply a greater willingness to pay. With respect to inducing precocity and
enhancing yield levels, the feasibility of achieving such improvements should
be established.
Finally, the technology dissemination strategy would have to take into
consideration low levels of farmer knowledge on IFT management, and assess
and address those issues further.

Acknowledgements

We thank the ICRAF team in Zimbabwe and Malawi, in particular Dr Freddie
Kwesiga, Dr Elias Ayuk and Dr Festus Akinnifesi, for advice and support during
the fieldwork. The German Ministry for Economic Cooperation and Development
(BMZ) provided funds through ICRAF's Domestication of Indigenous Fruit Trees
Programme.

Notes

1

This is equivalent to a benefit : cost ratio of greater than one and an internal
rate of return larger than the discount rate used in the analysis. For problems
concerning each approach and comparability of results, see e.g. Gittinger
(1982) and Brealey and Myers (2000).

2

According to the net present value rule, investment is profitable when the net
present value exceeds zero, i.e. where accumulated discounted net benefits
(the present value) exceed initial investment cost.