Underutilized African indigenous fruit trees and food–nutrition security: Opportunities, challenges, and prospects

Abstract

The diverse range of indigenous fruit trees in Africa is a source of untapped potential for food and nutrition security. Here, we review information on 10 indigenous fruit trees that are considered to be underutilized and explore their occurrence, distribution, nutritional components, phytochemicals, and medicinal potentials, as well as their associated challenges and prospects. The indigenous fruit trees, which occur across different ecological zones in Africa, are rich sources of vitamins, minerals, protein, and valuable phytochemicals. They also have recognized medicinal value and used as diverse therapeutic remedies by many ethnic groups in Africa. The key challenges to fruit tree sustainability include indiscriminate and illegal logging, low accessibility, and low acceptability, as well as inadequate research on their cultivation. We proposed a scheme to increase the value chain of underutilized fruit trees, which can contribute to the livelihoods of smallholder farmers and other stakeholders mainly through income generation. In addition to the concerted efforts of multidisciplinary research teams encompassing plant breeders, botanists, molecular biologists, food scientists, and horticulturists, there is an urgent need for governments and other international stakeholders to provide incentives and encourage the domestication, commercialization, and agro-processing of underutilized fruit trees for future economic prosperity of Africa.