Overall objective
To increase food- and income diversity and climate change resilience of agricultural systems in West Africa. The focus is on six highly important, traditionally used native multipurpose trees with potentials to improve livelihoods of rural and urban communities.
Study species
CRES focuses on following key stone species; baobab (Adansonia digitata), which provides leaves for sauce, fruit pulp for drinks and seeds for food oils and cosmetics, bombax (Bombax costatum) with leaves for vegetables, flowers and calyx for sauce, gum for bush candy and seeds for oil and snacks, marula (Sclerocarya birrea) with edible fruits also used for alcoholic and non-alcoholic drinks, lannea (Lannea spp) with seeds used for oils, jujube (Ziziphus mauritiana) a drought-resistant shrub with edible fruits ripening in the hunger season and locust bean (Parkia biglobosa) well-known for a protein-rich seed condiment, dawadawa, and many other food and income sources like local candy from fruit pulp and medicine.
Specific objectives
CRES aims to focus on the full value-chain from the selection of best varieties of trees and carbon certified tree planting to development of value-added products and innovative marketing and to user-friendly dissemination and capacity building. This is reflected in seven specific objectives:
- To find best varieties for domestication, production and adaptation to climate change
- To establish biological and social resilience via carbon certified tree planting
- To find new potentials of products based on chemical content and properties
- To empower local women and youth in rural and urban settings via value-added products
- To diversify rural and urban income through innovative product marketing
- To disseminate widely and improve policies on sustainability and climate change resilience
- To build capacity at university level and collaboration among three African universities
