Gathering, distribution and consumption of edible plants in Africa: the trans-regional development of human-plant relationships.

2023 Fiscal Year Final Research Report

• Project/Area Number: 19K12534
• Research Category: Grant-in-Aid for Scientific Research (C)
• Allocation Type: Multi-year Fund
• Section: 一般
• Review Section: Basic Section 80010:Area studies-related
• Research Institution: Tsuda University
• Principal Investigator: Yatsuka Haruna 津田塾大学, 学芸学部, 准教授 (40596441)
• Project Period (FY): 2019-04-01 – 2024-03-31
• Keywords: 人―植物関係 / 食用植物 / マーケット / 採集活動 / アフリカ / 都市―農村関係

Outline of Final Research Achievements

This study aims to clarify the networks surrounding the use of edible wild/semi-cultivated plants and the transitions in the use of these plants. The research methodology was based on fieldwork in Tanzania, following plant use from the urban market to collection and consumption.
Edible plants, which are not cultivated and used only locally, are sold in cities, but their distribution is narrow and the scale of sales is small, so they do not have a large economic impact on local residents. However, they are strongly preferred for foodstuff within the region. In addition, there are regional and individual “sticking points” in the use of these plants, and thus minor differences were observed even among plants sold in multiple cities. From the above, it was concluded that local edible plants serve as a link between the rural areas of their hometowns and the urban dwellers.

Free Research Field

生態人類学

Academic Significance and Societal Importance of the Research Achievements

1.本研究は、これまで個別の社会を対象にした議論が中心であった植物利用に関して、市場を起点に流通や採集を追うという新しい調査の視点を確立した。
2.その結果、食料問題を抱えるアフリカにおいて、近代農業を促進し農作物を増産するという画一的な対応ではなく、むしろローカルな食材を再評価し、その利用を維持することの意義を再考することにつながった。
3.研究成果はこれまでに日本アフリカ学会や生態人類学会など複数の学会において報告をした。