FAMINE FOODS IN EASTERN REGIONS OF THE SUDAN SD9800009 By Ba.da.wi Ibrahim Aimed B.Sc, Agric, Honours (1991) A Thesis Submitted In Partial Fulfillment of The Requirements For The Degree Of Master Of Science (Agric) Department of Biochemistry and Soil Sciences Faculty of Agriculture University Of Khartoum January, 1995 2 9 . 39 We regret that some of the pages in this report may not be up to the proper legibility standards, even though the best possible copy was used for scanning To the. {,ood ZnAccuJie. pe.opte. oi Sudan, e.4pe.c4.a.JLJLy the. vX.ct4.m4 06 dn.ou.ght, and van. TABLE OF CONTENTS Page LIST OF TABLES i LIST OF FIGURES H ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS /// ARABIC ABSTRACT i v ENGLISH ABSTRACT vi CHAPTER ONE: 1. Introduction 1 CHAPTER TW: 2. Literature Review 7 2.1 Famine 7 2.2 Famine in Sudan 9 2.3 Famine relief in Sudan 12 2.4 Famine in Eastern States 13 2.5 Nutritional status during famine 14 2.6 Famine foods in Eastern States 16 2.6.1 Echinochloa cpjpnum (Difra) .* 10 2.6.1.1 Botanical description 19 2.6.1.2 Literature review and usage in Sudan . 19 2.6.2 Sorghum Sudanese (Adar) 20 2.6.2.1 Botanical description 20 2.6.2.2 Literature review and usage in Sudan 20 2.6.3 Zizphus spina christi (Nabag) 20 2.6.3.1 Botanical description 20 2.6.3.2 Literature review and usage in Sudan .... 21 2.6.4 Balanites aegyptiaca (Laloub) 22 2.6.4.1 Botanical description 22 2.6.4.2 Literature review'and usage in Sudan 22 2.6.5 Hyphaene thebaica (Doum) 23 2.6.5.1 Botanical description 23 2.6.5.2 Literature review and usage in Sudan 23 2.6.6 Cassia obtusifolia (Kawal) ••. 24 2.6.6.1 Botanical description 24 2.6.6.2 Literature review and usage in Sudan 24 2. 6. 7 Capparis decidua (Tondub) 25 2.6. 7.1 Botanical description 25 2.6.7.2 Literature review and usage in Sudan .... 25 2.6.8 Gynandropsis gynandra (Tamaleika) 26 2.6.8.1 Botanical description 26 2.6.8.2 Literature review and usage in Sudan .— 26 2. 6.9 Lactuca taraxacifolia (Moleita) 26 2.6.9.1 Botanical description 26 2.6.9.2 Literature review and usage in Sudan .... 26 2.6.10 Salvadora persica (Arak) 27 2.6.10.1 Botanical description 27 2.6.10.2 Literature review and usage in Sudan .... 27 2.6.11 Corchorus trilocularis (Molokhiat elkhala*) 27 2.6.11.1 Botanical description i 27 2.6.11.2 Literature review and usage in Sudan .... 28 Chapter Three: 3. Materials and Methods 29 3.1 Methodology for information and data collection 29 3.2 Famine food samples collection 30 3.3 Famine food samples preparation 30 3.4 Chemical composition 3.1 3.4.1 Ash determination 31 3.4.2 Crude protein determination 32 3.4.3 Crude fat determination (CP) 33 3.4.4 Crude fibre determination (CF) 33 3.4.5 Minerals extraction and determination 34 3.4.5.1 CaH + MgH 34 3.4.5.2 Sodium and potassium 35 3.4.5.3 Phosphorus 36 3.4.6 Alcohol insoluble solids (AIS) 37 3.4. 7 Sugars 38 3.4.7.1 Extraction 38 3.4.7.2 Reducing sugars 38 3.4. 7.3 Total sugars . 39 3.4.8 Quantitative analysis of the sugars by thin layer chroma tography (TLC) 40 Chapter Four: 4. Results and Discussion 42 4.1 Investigation and responses from the Eastern Region 42 4.1.1 The total number of the family members 42 4.1.2 Number of children within the family 42 4.1.3 Number of wives 42 4.1.4 Source of income 45 4.1.5 Volume of income per a year 45 4.1.6 How many animals did you have before famine, how many of each kind did you loose during famine 45 4.1.7 Losses of persons during famine t 47 4.1.8 What is the main food which you eat every day .... 47 4.1.9 Is the food available 48 4.1.10 Reasons for food unavailability 48 4.1.11 Are you dependant on specific type of food? mention if any 49 4.1.12 Do you obtain your food from planting crops or breeding of animals? 51 4.1.13 Are there any other sources for obtaining food? mention if any 5/ 4.1.14 How many meals per day did you eat when food is abundantly available 52 4.1.15 How many meals per day did you eat during famine? 52 4.1.16 Are there any special meals usually prepared for children? 52 4.1.17 At the time of famine, what the famine ate? 53 4.1.18 Who usually prepare the food, men or women? 53 4.1.19 Who usually obtains and gather the food? men of women? 56 4.1.20 Who will sell the crop or food if available? men or women? 56 4.1.21 In normal time, no famine, which you prefer, local or famine food? 56 4.1.22 In the condition of famine, would you prefer food made from local materials or the ready made food that offered by relief organizations? .. 56 4.2 Food relief organizations in the region 56 4.2.1 What are the kind of total food supplied by organizations 58 4.2.2 Food quantities that distributed in the area 58 4.2.3 How the distribution of relief take place? 58 4.2.4 Did the relief affect the production advantageously or disadvantageous ly? 60 4.2.5 Food relief organizations working in the region .. 61 4.3 Local Markets 61 4.3.1 Food availability in the Market 62 4.3.2 Is the food available in the market throughout the year or only available at the season? 62 4.3.3 Food prices .. 64 4.3.4 Storage of food 64 4.4 Hospitals and health care centers 64 4.4.1 What are the mal-nutrition diseases that prevail in the area? 64 4.4.2 Number of mal-nourished patients 66 4. 4.3 Reasons for mal-nutrition 66 4.4.4 Treatment of mal-nutrition diseases 67 4.5 Chemical analysis : .- 67 4.5.1 Ash content 68 4.5.2 Crude protein content 70 4.5.3 Crude fibre content . 71 4.5.4 Crude,fat content 72 4.5.5 Chemical composition comparison of cultivated and uncultivated cereals 72 4.5.6 Mineral composition 76 4.5.7 Alcohol insoluble solids (AIS) 79 4.5.8 Total and reducing sugars 81 4.5.9 Qualitative analysis of sugars 82 4.6 Conclusions %0 Bibliography 92 LIST OF TABLES Table 1. Average monthly rainfall in millimeters (for past 30 years} 3 2. Famine foods 19 3. Famine foods consumed in Eastern Regions 54 4. Comparison between 3rd and 5th cycles as distributed by World Food Programme (WFP) 59 5. Some of foods available at local markets (1992 prices) 63 6. Chemical analysis of some plants consumed as famine foods in the Eastern States 69 7. Comparison of chemical composition of Difra and Adar, consumed as cereals in famine periods, with local staple grain Dura and Dukhn 73 8. Elemental composition of some plants consumed as famine foods in the Eastern Regions - 78 9. Alcohol insoluble (AIS), total sugars and reducing sugars of some famine foods in Eastern Regions 80 10. Sugars composition of some foods consumed as famine foods, in Eastern Regions, shown as relative amounts 83 LIST OF FIGURES Fimtre 1. Histogram show the total number of the members of the family 43 2. Histogram show the numbers of children within the family ... 44 3. Histogram show the source of income 46 4. Histogram show the reasons for food unavailability .. 50 5. Histogram show the famine foods consumed in Eastern Regions 55 6. Photograph represent neutral sugars separated from sugar extract of Nabag 84 7. Photograph represent neutral sugars separated from sugar extract of Doum 55 8. Photograph represent neutral sugars separated from sugar extract of Tondoub 86 9. Photograph represent neutral sugars separated from sugar extract of Laloub 87 10. Photograph represent neutral sugars separated from sugar extract of Difrd 88 11. Photograph represents neutral sugars separated from sugar extract of Adar 89 li ACKNOCJL. EOGEAf E7V/T"S I wish to acknowledge, my thank* to Pro^. AbdeJi-azim A.M. Noun, don. his excellent supervision, encouragement and help fait guidance, throughout the. course. o& this study. I am specially indebted to Fond Foundation bo* interest and {financial support which enabled me to undertake, the work, reported In thlA Mudy. My thank* are extended to the. family o{, Biochemistry and Soil Science Department, In particular to Prod. A.H. EJUtinay the Mead Department, my colleagues and {>rlend4 {,or their kind treatment and encouragements. Appreciations are. extended to Red Cross and Crescent Association, Dordalb area, who helped In accomplishing part o<J the questionnaire. I am Indejed grateful to Mr. Salah Eltohaml, Port Sudan province, &or his Invaluable, help and accommodation during the survey o{> this work. Sincere. Indebted and gratitude are extended to Mr. Osman Etmahl and his family fa>r what they have privileged me.. Special regards are due. to Mr. S.M. Qsman &or his proper typing. r Last, but not least, my sincere thanks and recognition to my family ior their moral and material support. Ill HPXT AOE(sT