Thorn trees and the quality of life in Msinga∗

Acknowledgements

This paper is dedicated to Niel Alcock, founder of Capfarm Trust, whose love for the people and the land inspired this and many other studies of the problems and potential for a better quality of life in Black rural areas.

B.P. (South Africa) financed research on Acacia tortilis in Msinga in 1981 through the Institute of Natural Resources, University of Natal (Pietermaritzburg). Funding for Capfarm Trust's on‐going research at Mdukutshani comes from a number of donors among which we are particularly grateful to the Ford Foundation.

We are grateful to Prof. Eugene Moll, Botany Department, University of Cape Town for supervision of the study reported here, and to Richard Dean and anonymous referees for their comments on drafts of this paper.

Abstract

Thorn trees (Acacia and Dichrostachys) provide the people of Msinga, a dry and rugged district of KwaZulu, with stockfeed, fuel, building and fencing materials, tools, string, tannin and dye. We estimate that, in terms of equivalent materials, thorn trees products are currently worth about R425/yr (R48/ha/yr) to a rural family. Employment of rural people in agroforestry projects aimed at the rational management of existing plant resources could improve the quality of life for the people of Msinga.

Notes

Acknowledgements

This paper is dedicated to Niel Alcock, founder of Capfarm Trust, whose love for the people and the land inspired this and many other studies of the problems and potential for a better quality of life in Black rural areas.

B.P. (South Africa) financed research on Acacia tortilis in Msinga in 1981 through the Institute of Natural Resources, University of Natal (Pietermaritzburg). Funding for Capfarm Trust's on‐going research at Mdukutshani comes from a number of donors among which we are particularly grateful to the Ford Foundation.

We are grateful to Prof. Eugene Moll, Botany Department, University of Cape Town for supervision of the study reported here, and to Richard Dean and anonymous referees for their comments on drafts of this paper.