Indigenous Knowledge of Edible Tree Products - The Mungomu Tree in Central Mozambique

Indigenous Knowledge of Edible Tree Products - The Mungomu Tree in Central Mozambique

Descripción

The objective of the study was to review and document the local knowledge base on the Mungomu tree in the district of Macossa and establish whether it varies according to gender, socio-economic status and generational differences. The study also looks at how the nut is used by local people and at its importance for food security. The study found that the culture of using Mungomu is very much alive in the district of Macossa. All long-term residents knew about the Mungomu tree and its n ut Ngomu, and only a few new residents who arrived after the civil war were not aware of it. Consumption however is declining due to the use of oilseeds such as peanuts, and the amount of work involved in cracking the nuts. Traditional methods involve using a small and a big stone to crush the nut, or splitting the nut casing with a stick and an axe blade. These rudimentary systems for cracking the nut were found to be the main barrier to maintaining, or possibly commercializing, the utilization of Ngomu. The kernel is used to enrich sauces, to accompany meat, fish, and vegetables, but also to produce oil. Consumption increases in difficult times, such as droughts and during the civil war.