| dc.creator | Kagezi, Godfrey Hurbby | |
| dc.creator | Kaib, Manfred | |
| dc.creator | Nyeko, Philip | |
| dc.creator | Brand, Roland | |
| dc.date | 2013-07-04T08:14:10Z | |
| dc.date | 2013-07-04T08:14:10Z | |
| dc.date | 2010 | |
| dc.date.accessioned | 2018-09-04T13:00:42Z | |
| dc.date.available | 2018-09-04T13:00:42Z | |
| dc.identifier | Kagezi, G. H., Kaib, M. Nyeko, P., Brandl, R. (2010). Termites (Isoptera) as food in the Luhya community (Western Kenya). Sociobiology, 55(3): 1-15 | |
| dc.identifier | 0361-6525 | |
| dc.identifier | | |
| dc.identifier | http://www.csuchico.edu/biol/Sociobiology/sociobiologyindex.html | |
| dc.identifier | http://hdl.handle.net/10570/1526 | |
| dc.identifier.uri | http://hdl.handle.net/10570/1526 | |
| dc.description | Received funding from Biodiversity Monitoring Transect Analysis in Africa (BIOTA-EA) project. | |
| dc.description | The traditional use of termites as a source of food is still widespread in tropical Africa. We conducted a survey around Kakamega forest (Western Kenya) to evaluate the indigenous knowledge of a local community (Luhya) about termites as a food resource. All 100 respondents mentioned that termites can be eaten and distinguished them by simple characteristics such as size and form of the mound as well their body size. They reported seven edible species mostly eaten as fried alates. Furthermore, people harvest the fruiting bodies of mushrooms that appear from termite mounds of the fungus-growing termites. As a whole farmers had considerable knowledge about termites, but the deeper knowledge was limited to a few farmers and often imprecise. Knowledge increased with age and decreased with education. Our data and comparisons to a study in the nearby Tororo district (Uganda) suggest that in Western Kenya some indigenous knowledge may have already been lost. In particular higher education pays too little attention to the cultural heritage. Therefore the indigenous knowledge of termite biology and ecology needs to be documented and promoted emphasizing the economical and ecological importance of termites including their negative aspects. | |
| dc.language | en | |
| dc.publisher | California State University | |
| dc.subject | Age | |
| dc.subject | Education | |
| dc.subject | Indigenous knowledge | |
| dc.subject | Luhya language | |
| dc.subject | Termite species | |
| dc.title | Termites (Isoptera) as food in the Luhya Community (Western Kenya) | |
| dc.type | Journal article, peer reviewed | |
