The importance of an indigenous tree to southern African communities with specific relevance to its domestication and commercialization: a case of the marula tree

Local communities in southern Africa derive many benefits from marulaSclerocarya birrea (A. Rich.) Hochst. subsp. caffra (Sond.) Kokwaro. These include the contribution of this species towards health, nutrition, food security and conservation by sharing local skills and knowledge related to it. Marula fruits can be eaten fresh, squeezed to make juice, brewed in traditional beer or used to make jam and jelly. The kernels are also edible and can be pressed to extract oil for cooking and cosmetics, i.e., for skin and hair application. The bark, roots, seeds and leaves are exploited for traditional medicinal purposes. Marula has acquired significant commercial value since its fruits and other products have entered local, regional and international trade in southern Africa. To diversify fruit production and satisfy the increasing demands for this resource, several domestication initiatives have been carried out at regional and international levels. The accumulated knowledge and skills relevant to the establishment and commercialization of marula therefore provide an effective guide in areas where marula remains undomesticated or underutilized. We discuss the great importance of marula in southern Africa to reveal its great potential to regions where it remains unexploited.