Traditional uses of Detarium Microcarpum Guill. & Perr. (Fabaceae) and Potential for its Valorisation as Fuelwood

Abstract

Background: Forest management can be sustainable if it integrates social, cultural and economic values ​​that local communities associate with forest resources in a given area. Detarium microcarpum Guill. & Perr. (Fabaceae), also known as small detar or sweet detar, is a common multiuse small tree of Sudanese and Sudano-Guinean savannahs with high potential for use as fuelwood or fruit tree but little valued in forestry programs. The present countrywide study aims to assess the compatibility of current local uses of Detarium microcarpum with its promotion as fuelwood and to determine the most suitable areas for its integration into forest management programs. Methods: An ethnobotanical survey was conducted on the basis of a semi-structured questionnaire among 1074 people selected randomly in 10 of the 12 departments of Benin where the species is present. Factors determining Detarium microcarpum use as fuelwood were identified through a binary logistic regression. A Factorial Correspondence Analysis established the relationship between socio-cultural groups and the use of Detarium microcarpum parts or organs.Results: A total of 671 people (62.47%) know and use at least one part of Detarium microcarpum. The trunk and branches are the most used organs (35.12% of respondents), primarily as fuelwood. The determinants of Detarium microcarpum use as fuelwood are the phytogeographic district (a proxy for the resource availability), gender, sociolinguistic group, and educational level. Detarium microcarpum is more used as fuelwood by women belonging to the sociolinguistic groups Gourmatche, Kounteni, Boo, Monkole, Gando and Bariba. In addition, the use of Detarium microcarpum as fuelwood decreases with the educational level and is more pronounced in the phytogeographical districts of Borgou-Nord, Atacora chain and Borgou-Sud, covering together about 63% of the national territory and representing 28% of its population. Conclusions: This study confirms the potential of Detarium microcarpum as fuelwood, particularly in northern Benin, and calls for further research on the species local abundance and structure, regeneration, silviculture and management mode.