Analysis of the market structures and systems for indigenous fruit trees: the case for Uapaca Kirkiana in Zambia

This study is about marketing of Uapaca kirkiana fruit in Zambia, a fruit that has great economicvalue especially among the rural and urban poor. It contributes to general food security. Insouthern Africa, farmers and other stakeholders have identified Uapaca as a priority species fordomestication. Current agroforestry initiatives are promoting integration of indigenous trees intofarming systems to provide marketable products for income generation. Domestication of treeshowever, depends on expanding the market demand for tree products. There is considerableevidence that expanding market opportunities is critical for the success of domesticationinnovations but farmers have been introduced to domestication with little consideration formarketing. The existing market potential can be achieved through sound knowledge on marketsand marketing. Information on the marketing of Uapaca fruit is inadequate. This study,therefore, aimed at generating information on the marketing of Uapaca kirkiana fruit, includingthe basic conditions of demand and supply of the fruit.The main study was conducted in Chipata and Ndola districts in the Eastern and Copperbeltprovinces respectively, while fruit pricing was conducted in Lusaka district in Lusaka Province.Questionnaires and participatory research methods were used to collect the data. A total of 37markets involving 49 collectors, 59 retailers, 189 consumers and 20 government forest workersare included in the study.The study reveals that there is demand for the fresh and secondary products of the fruit and hencesubstantial fruit trading exists in Zambia. However, the marketing system is characterised byunderdevelopment. There is insufficient capacity to satisfy the demand for the fruit andinstitutional /policy support to Uapaca fruit market expansion. Currently, only basic technologyfor product development exists. The results suggest a need to address policy and capacitydevelopment for expansion of Uapaca kirkiana fruit industry. To improve the Uapaca tradeindustry, the study proposes developing and scaling up policy strategies, fruit processing sector,research-extension-trader-agribusiness linkages, infrastructure development and knowledgegeneration for improved understanding of the Uapaca fruit markets.