Nutrecul Agroforestry Project

The Nutrecul Agroforestry Project is a project which promotes the use of the indigenous multipurpose tree species Treculia africana. This project was initiated by Belgian agronomists and missionaries in the rainforest of the Democratic Republic of the Congo. And later entrusted to the Belgian agronomist Jean DB. The project promotes Forestry combined with alternative food provision. And this through agro-forestry techniques.

Nutrecul Agroforestry Project

Prehistory

The botanists P. Staner & A. Corbisier together with Professor G. Gilbert at the Laboratory of Tropical Forestry, UC Louvain-la-Neuve Belgium started cultivating the Treculia at the Botanic Gardens of Eala Zaire at the end of 1924. During the period from 1930 to 1962, research was conducted at The National Institute for Agronomy in Belgian Congo (Institut National pour l'Etude Agronomique du Congo Belge or INEAC).

During the years 1974, 1976 and 1977, the Flemisch Father Jacques Bijttebier of the Scheut Missionaries had the opportunity of living many months in the area of the Catholic Mission of Lokalema (Zaïre), and more particularly in the Pygmie villages situated downwards the river zaïre, facing Lisala. He was able to gather there a lot of original informations regarding the Treculia. For more than 30 years he studied en selected together with the Flemish sister Paula Trio the best varieties of the Treculia in Pendjua in the north of Bandundu Province, Democratic Republic of the Congo. In 1974 Father Jaqcues Bijttebier (under the guidance of the Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO) and UNESCO) mapped the dissemination area of the Treculia in Africa.

During the period from 1974 to 1993 Father Jaqcues Bijttebier worked closely with;

In 1978 Father Jaqcues Bijttebier wroted an article "Essais de panification avec des farines "non panifiables",[1] about his bake tests using Treculia flour. In the 1980' Prof. Hugo Gevaerts was teatching at the Faculty of Science in Kisangani, where he med Prof Jean Declerck. He told to Prof. Jean Declerck about agro-breeding programs because there was work to do. While there contact was growing they med Father Jaqcues Bijttebier, who talked about a tree that could be a solution for malnutrition. In 1992, Father Jacques Bijttebier published a paper in which he describes the properties and nutritional value of this plant.[2][3] Father Jacques Bijttebier died at the age of 66 on mai 27 1993 in Leuven (Belgium).

After Father Jaqcues Bijttebier died, Sister Paula Trio remained in contact with the coordinator Jean Declerck. They learned Sister Paula Trio would definitive leave Pendjua. Prof. Jean Declerck insisted for Treculia-seeds from the best varieties (still in pulp), to bring over with her last return trip to Belgium. (N.B the germination of the Treculia seeds is extremely short) Sister Paula Trio than brought +-400 seeds with her, that Prof. Jean Declerck immediately divided among the involved universities and also the Botanic National garden of Meise (Belgium). These seeds were germinated fast & after 6 weeks became trees of +-15 cm. Prof. Jean Lejoly (Ulb) wanted to save 100 of them for to make researches participated with the Zairian scientists, L. Ndjele & JP Mate, when they would shortly come in placement with him. Prof. Hugo Gevaerts brought the 300 young trees he had left on his travel to Kisangani in 1995. Where they immediately and carefully where planted out at the University.

The appreciation of this plant as a fruit tree really started thanx to Project Rotary International "Project Agroforestry 3-H", an initiative of Professors Jean Declerck (formerly a visiting professor at the Faculty of Medicine at the University of Kisangani), Jean Lejoly (Professor at the Université Libre de Bruxelles, Laboratoire de Botanique) and Hugo Gevaerts (former dean of the Faculté des Sciences, UNIKIS and professor at the Limburg University Centre). These three professors have, together with their colleagues from the University of Kisangani (Leopold Ndjele, Valentin Kamabu and Jean-Pierre Mate) been inspired by the important results of the work of Father Bijtebier to this tree to adopted by the population of Kisangani. This project Agroforestry 3-H ran from 1995 to 1998. In this period several plantations laid out and there were thousands of plants distributed to the population. Various wars of recent years have prevented normal development of this project.[4]

Fortunately, in 1998 the "Project LUC" (Limburg University Centre) led by Professor Hugo Gevaerts was created. This project devoted much attention to the popularization of this "miracle plant" under the Agroforestry project.[5]

In 2004, the Fondation Maisha planted in cooperation with researchers from the universities of Kisangani and Leuven K.U.L (Belgium), the Treculia Africana tree in Lubumbashi for to nourish the street children. Later also the Université de Kinshasa planted trees on their University Campus.

History

During the period of 2000 to 2003 the horticulturist Jean DB was taught by Romain Wiels, an agronomist and former colonial of the Congo. This wise man told in his practice lessons about his experiences in Congo. And about the possible potential of the plants in the food and pharmaceutical industry. In the winter of 2012, 9 years after his last classes with agronomist Romain Wiels, Jean DB came back in contact with his old teacher. While talking about his project, agronomist Romain Wiels told him about his old friend Prof. Jean Declerck and the Treculia trees.

In the spring of 2012 the horticulturist Jean DB came in contact with the Flemish bakkery consultant Guido Lasat, who was a close friend of Father Bijtebier which had worked with him in the 70s to early 90s. This man talked about the potential in the bakkery industry and advised for to start a plantation. In 2012 the Belgian CICM Missionaries and the Flemish bakery consultant Guido Lasat entrusted to managing director Jean DB an old agroforestry project of the late father Jacques Bijttebier in the rainforest of the D.R.Congo. The idea is to create a network of agricultural cooperatives so farmers can get a fair price for their crop. Guido Lasat died in March 2013.

During the year 2012, Jean DB did his research to the Treculia and selected the best varieties from Africa. On the advice of the Belgian fathers he collected as many plant material and seeds. And placed on tissue culture in five laboratories in Africa and Europe. Later he went to destroy the test fields in the forest. Just to be sure no western company would monopolize the project. He managed to collect 15 cultivars coming directly from father Bijttebier’s testing fields. By the end of the year the Nutrecul Agroforestry Project was created. Nutrecul is a contraction of Nutrition Treculia or Nutritive Trees Cultivation.

Because director Jean DB had received death threats from the Western Seed & Nutrition lobby.[6] As of May 5, 2014, the project merged with the AWDF to ensure the development of the innovative tropical forest conservation project Nutrecul.[7]

References

  1. ↑ Author: Bijttebier,R.P.J. (1978) Essais de panification avec des farines "non panifiables" Rev.Agr.6,Vol.31,pp.1053-1072
  2. ↑ Bijttebier,R.P.J. (1981). Agroforestry and Fight Against the Penury of Food in the Third World. Rationalisation of the Picking by the Pygmies. Communication presented at the XVII IUFRO World Congress Kyoto, Japan September 6–17, 1981: 1-71
  3. ↑ Bijttebier,R.P.J. (1986). Le Treculia africana, abre a vocation alimentaire, a l’avenir vraiment prometteur pour le Tiersmonde. Centre de Recherche pour L’Application de l’Agroforesterie dans les Missions et les Pays en voie de Développement, Belgium.
  4. ↑ http://www.kisangani.be/Een-boom-vol-toekomst-voor
  5. ↑ http://www.congoforum.be/ndl/interviewsdetail.asp?id=24791&interviews=selected
  6. ↑ https://m.facebook.com/NutreculAgroforestry/posts/767930636598457
  7. ↑ http://africanwildlifedefenceforce.com/Nutrecul_Agroforestry2.html
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