Consumptive values and local perception of dry forest decline in Burkina Faso, West Africa

Abstract

Traditional ecological knowledge and local experience of resource management and the usefulness of plant species can make important contributions to attempts to understand forest ecosystems and to develop effective sustainable management strategies for them. Therefore, the utilization of tree species by local people, their perceptions of changes in the surrounding forests, and suggested solutions for associated problems, were studied in the Sissili province of southern Burkina Faso. Information was collected through a combination of participatory rural appraisals, household interviews, and observational methods. Principal component analysis was used to analyze the consumptive values of woody species and their respective parts. A total of 82 species were identified, 90% of them were used for medicinal purposes, 78% for fodder, 73% for food, 67% for house construction, and 58% for wood carving. This suggests that forests play a key role in sustaining the rural livelihood and contributing to poverty reduction. The various stakeholders perceived that vegetation clearing for cultivation of cash crops (agribusiness) was Readers should send their comments on this paper to BhaskarNath@aol.com within 3 months of publication of this issue. the main driver of the change in forest cover. Species reported to be declining in the area included Parkia biglobosa, Pterocarpus erinaceus, Afzelia africana, Bombax costatum, Tamarindus indica, and Diospyros mespiliformis. Thus, a concerted effort should be made to manage the remaining natural forests in the country. Appropriate management strategies should be developed jointly by the local communities and external support groups to integrate the valuable local knowledge about forest species with the stakeholders' suggestions in order to promote sustainable management of the region's forest ecosystems.

Botanical and Ethnoveterinary Surveys of Two Acacias (<i>Acacia raddiana</i> and <i>Acacia nilotica</i>) Exploited in Small Ruminant Rearing in Sahelian Area of Burkina Faso

“…In general, the analysis of the dendrometric data collected in the study reveals a lower density and a lower tree cover in the area. These results do not corroborate those obtained by Paré [13] on the diversity of light forests in southern Burkina Faso. This could be explained by the fact that climate is more favorable (rainfall, hydromorphy, soil types) to these species in the south than in the north of the country.…”

Smallholders’ Tree Planting Activity in the Ziro Province, Southern Burkina Faso: Impacts on Livelihood and Policy Implications

“…Cotton cultivation is a common feature of the farming system in addition to livestock herding such as cattle, donkey, sheep and goats. The farm size varies amongst individual farmers ranging from 1 to10 ha [7,10]. The flora is dominated by perennial grass such as Andropogon gayanus Kunth, A. ascinodis C.B.…”

“…The annual deforestation rate for the southern region of Burkina Faso was estimated to be 0.96% per annum between 1986 and 2006 [6]. Conversion of forest and woodland to crop and rangeland [7], fuelwood extraction [8,9], over-exploitation, and unsustainable land management [10] have been identified as the main drivers of deforestation in the country.…”

“…Furthermore, the difficult conditions for agriculture and livestock production in the north and central regions, due to the country's biophysical setting together with its long experience of drought and desertification [11], are acting as a push factor to further intensify competing land uses in the southern region [7]. Due to an increase in population through migration and natural population growth the demand for land is increasing and affecting livelihood management strategies in the region.…”

“…Due to an increase in population through migration and natural population growth the demand for land is increasing and affecting livelihood management strategies in the region. Studies in Southern Burkina Faso found that conversion of forest to cropland affects both the sustainability of the environment [10], and the consumptive values collected from the forest [7].…”