The Examination of the Abundance and Conservation Status of Chrysophullum albidum in Ifaki Region of Ekiti State, Nigeria

This study which examined the abundance and conservation status of C. albidum in Ifaki Region of Ekiti State Nigeria was conducted in two stages. Stage 1 involved the examination of the production of C. albidum in the region while stage 2 determines the acceptance and perception of residents of the region on C. albidum. In stage 1, 10 farmers, who have maintained continuous domiciliation in the region for over 10 years, were purposely selected from 3 strata in the region while in Stage 2, 10 residents were randomly selected from each stratum. All respondents were interviewed and the interviews were conversational, focused and two-way in communication. The respondents traversed different socio-economic classes yet all were conscious of the species. Few respondents’ farmers possessed C. albidum but the number of stands was less than 10 in each farm. Production was mostly subsistent; fruits sale was slow and conducted through vendors. Harvested fruits from the mother trees were not consumed, only ripen fruits that fell themselves were consumed. The fruits are liable to fungal infections hence they have low shelf life. All these served as disincentives to its cultivation. Gross decline was observed in the number of stands and fruits as well as income derived from C. albidum in the region when compared to those of a decade before the study. The slow growth of the species, burnings of vegetation and land tenure were constraints to its cultivation which is presently limited to wildlings preservation. The fruits are still widely accepted in the region for their medicinal and nutritional values and cost of purchase is still low enough to make the fruits available to people in different economic classes. Strategies towards cultivation of the species were proposed.