USE AND TRADING OF WILD EDIBLE HERBS IN THE CENTRAL LOWVELD SAVANNA REGION, SOUTH-AFRICA

The use, processing, trading, cultivation and nurturing of wild edible herbs was recorded across a rainfall gradient in the Mpumalanga lowve ld. Nine villages, in three transects across the prevailing,west-east rainfall gradient were sampled by means of 20 households per village. All households made use of wild edible herbs to some extent, with hous eholds in the wettest region using the greatest diversity, The duratio n of availability of selected species was increased through drying, st oring and processing for later consumption. Such activities were more common in the drier regions relative to the wetter villages. Approxima tely 38% of the respondents cultivated or nurtured wild edible herbs w ithin their homestead or al able fields, whereas more than 77% grew ex otic commercial vegetables. One quarter of respondents traded in edibl e herbs, largely in the winter months. Very few obtained a significant income in this way, but even casual trading provided vital supplement ary income for low-income households.