Mature fruit of Prosopis africana.

Plant resources in the proximate environment are known to support an important part of people’s livelihoods in rural area. Plant conservation has been targeted as priority issue in biodiversity conservation during the 16th International Botanical Congress of Missouri in 1999. It is one of the critical points of Benin’s Environmental Program. However, the increasing human population around protected areas and the subsequent pressure is detrimental to sustainable use and deserves focus on some highly valued species.

Prosopis africana is a valuable tree species in the semi-arid regions of West Africa. It produces excellent charcoal and firewood. The bark and roots are used in medicine, leaves for livestock and seeds as food condiment. Because of these multipurpose uses added to recurrent drought effect, P. africana is currently experiencing a severe pressure. Although, there is a great awareness that P. africana is highly threatened in WBR in Benin, it is still unclear how these threats affect its conservation status in varying habitats. Moreover it is known that people and their action influence natural resources and impact on their quality and quantity. If negative impacts of human activities are not detected at an early time, they can lead to serious effects and can affect the base of livelihoods activities and natural resources sustainability. Thus, after threats to resources are detected, communication, education and public awareness program are essential for corrective actions which are essential in underpinning nature conservation schemes.

The objectives of the project are to:

(1) assess the abundance and population structure of P. Africana,

(2) assess use intensities and subsequent impacts on the species,

(3) raise awareness of local population on negative impacts of uncontrolled uses of plant resources,

(4) implement a local community-driven early stage planting program of the species in agroforestry systems.

The project will provide the biosphere reserve managers, the scientists and Non-Governmental Organizations and other conservation-based agencies with some key information (endogenous conservation strategies, demographic and structural data on the species) which will help in field activities, and provide technical information for a better use of the species and other species of similar biology. Results will contribute to database building on useful plant species in Benin and Africa.