Biodiversity and Cultural Importance of Wild Edible Trees in Benin (West Africa)
Abstract
157 words
The present research aimed at assessing the biodiversity of
wild edible trees and cultural values that support their
maintenance in the traditional agroforesty systems of Benin. A
number of selected sites in each of the 3 climatic zones of the
country were surveyed and data were collected through a field
exploration and a semi-structured survey among 435 selected
households throughout the country, using a questionnaire. A total
of 43 wild edible trees were found in the traditional agroforestry
systems of Benin. Three main reasons support peasant ambition
to conserve or to grow wild edible trees in their field. The first
one is the contribution of species as food followed by its use in
traditional medicine and ceremonies. Another important reason
supporting the choice to conserve wild edible trees in traditional
agroforestry is the farmer’s perception of the availability of
species in natural vegetation. At the end, cultural communities’
based conservation of wild edible trees has been discussed.
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