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The use of woody species of rural populations in Northern Benin was investigated by semi-structured and open interviews. Of the 129 woody species found in the area, 124 (96%) were mentioned to be used as firewood, for house and furniture construction or preparation of tools, for alimentation, in traditional medicine and/or for other purposes. Our study confirms and underlines the high importance of non timber forest products (NTFPs) for the local population.
In rural Africa, the use of wild plants for medicinal purposes is widespread. Many publications provide regional checklists of medicinal plants, but only a few of these checklists cover Malawi. In the Karongo district, northern Malawi, 30 traditional healers and birth attendants were interviewed regarding their use of woody medicinal plants. This survey reveals that 71 of the 102 woody species that are found in this area are used for a variety of treatments. These medicinal plants are most commonly applied in obstetrics. The favoured wild plants are frequently found in the area; however, three species are perceived as decreasing in abundance.
Uses and Management Strategies of the Multipurpose Tree Anogeissus leiocarpa in Eastern Burkina Faso
(2011)
Many people in the semi-arid tropics strongly depend on non-timber forest products (NTFPs) for livelihood. Increasing threats on NTFP-providing tree species, due to land-use intensification and over-harvesting, require ecological studies as well as additional information provided by local people. One important NTFP-providing tree in West Africa is Anogeissus leiocarpa. Even though this species is highly used, ethnobotanical studies on A. leiocarpa are scarce and address mainly qualitative aspects. Our study investigates uses, perceptions of the population development, and management strategies of A. leiocarpa among the Gulimanceba people in eastern Burkina Faso. We conducted a quantitative ethnobotanical survey and investigated distribution of traditional ecological knowledge related to the species on a local scale, i.e. difference in knowledge between villages, genders, and generations. Interviews reveal that A. leiocarpa is harvested by local people for 18 different uses and emphasize its high importance for local people. Ethnobotanical knowledge of A. leiocarpa was mostly evenly spread between genders and generations, while it slightly differed between villages. Although local people did not actively protect A. leiocarpa, current local harvesting modes and management resulted in sustainable use. However, ongoing land-use intensifications require adapted management strategies to guarantee the persistence of this important species. Our results provide, in combination with ecological results of our previous study, appropriate management recommendations. Our study emphasizes the importance of ethnobotanical studies on a local scale level in order to develop management strategies that are reliable in the specific area under the specific circumstances.