Traditional communities in arid and semi-arid areas often depend on wild plants and their products for survival during tiding-over periods, when agricultural food stocks have almost been depleted. These food sources can be used as hunger or famine foods to alleviate temporary food shortages. In periods of limited food stress such foods may be eaten only occasionally and more often by children and poorer sectors of society with only a few direct or exchange entitlements. The seasonal variability of wild food supply from different sources influences food acquisition strategies of pastoralists (the Fulani throughout West Africa, Bernus, 1988), crop growing communities (the Serere in Senegal, Rosetta, 1986; the Toucouleur of Senegal, personal observations), fisherfolk and hunters, and hunter-gatherers (Bushmen or !Kung San1 of Botswana, Lee & de Vore, 1976).