News / National
Binga villagers compete for wildfruits with baboons
30 Aug 2016 at 08:35hrs | Views
File photo: Children gather wild fruit from tree top
Starving Binga villagers are reportedly competing for wild fruits known as African Ebony fruit or Nchenje in Tonga for survival.
The fruit is said to be in abundance during the dry season and has become the only food source, reports say.
Nchenje fruit, which is green, grape-sized and becomes yellow as it ripens, comes from a large tree with a very dark bark and buttressed stem and found on river banks and around pans.
It ripens in the dry season as opposed to other fruits that are available during the wet season.
"The Nchenje fruits is extraordinarily plenty this year and has become our source of food," said Maria Mudenda who sells at Manjolo Business Centre.
She said the process of gathering the fruits involves waking up early in the morning to pick it as villagers often find themselves competing for it with wild animals such as baboons,monkeys, jackals and civet as well as fruit-eating birds.
"I wake up as early as 4am with my children to go and gather the fruits in the bush. In the morning, we take turns to come to the market while others continue looking for the fruits in the bush," said Mudenda.
A 5 litre container filled with nchenje costs a mere $1.
Chief Sikalenga implored government to increase grain distribution in the area.
"The drought situation is critical such that people now live on fruits which they also sell to travellers to raise money.
"The few fortunate ones who are closer to water sources have vegetables and tomatoes to sell but the majority rely solely on wild fruits. Food for work grain comes occasionally and it's not really helping the situation," Chief Sikalenga is quoted saying.
Government initiated a food relief programme for vulnerable groups as well as a feeding scheme for pupils in schools but these have not been effective in Binga as grain fails to reach villages owing to the poor state of roads.
The fruit is said to be in abundance during the dry season and has become the only food source, reports say.
Nchenje fruit, which is green, grape-sized and becomes yellow as it ripens, comes from a large tree with a very dark bark and buttressed stem and found on river banks and around pans.
It ripens in the dry season as opposed to other fruits that are available during the wet season.
"The Nchenje fruits is extraordinarily plenty this year and has become our source of food," said Maria Mudenda who sells at Manjolo Business Centre.
She said the process of gathering the fruits involves waking up early in the morning to pick it as villagers often find themselves competing for it with wild animals such as baboons,monkeys, jackals and civet as well as fruit-eating birds.
"I wake up as early as 4am with my children to go and gather the fruits in the bush. In the morning, we take turns to come to the market while others continue looking for the fruits in the bush," said Mudenda.
A 5 litre container filled with nchenje costs a mere $1.
Chief Sikalenga implored government to increase grain distribution in the area.
"The drought situation is critical such that people now live on fruits which they also sell to travellers to raise money.
"The few fortunate ones who are closer to water sources have vegetables and tomatoes to sell but the majority rely solely on wild fruits. Food for work grain comes occasionally and it's not really helping the situation," Chief Sikalenga is quoted saying.
Government initiated a food relief programme for vulnerable groups as well as a feeding scheme for pupils in schools but these have not been effective in Binga as grain fails to reach villages owing to the poor state of roads.
Source - Byo24News
