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The role of woody species in managing food shortage in Burkina Faso Volume 23, issue 2, Avril-Mai-Juin 2012

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Université de Ouagadougou Institut de l’environnement et de recherches agricoles (Inera) Unité de formation et de recherche en science de la vie et de la terre Laboratoire de biologie et écologie végétales 09 BP 848 Ouagadougou 09 Burkina Faso, Centre national de recherches scientifiques (CNRST) Institut de l’environnement et de recherches agricoles (Inera) Département de production forestière (DPF) BP 10 Koudougou Burkina Faso, Université de Douala Faculté de médecine et des sciences pharmaceutiques Département de biologie des organismes végétaux Institut des sciences halieutiques BP 24157 Douala Cameroun, Centre national de semences forestières (CNSF) O1 BP 2682 Ouagadougou 01 Burkina Faso

In Burkina Faso, rural households experience a food shortage period occuring early in the rainy season and lasting until the next crop harvest period. During this period, farmers rely on edible fruits or leafy plant species for their daily food needs. To contribute to farmers’ food security, the identification and cultivation of these plants is a necessity. The present study took place in the Sudano-Sahelian zone. Its overall objective was to contribute to farmers’ food security. Its specific objectives were : i) to identify the edible fruits and leafy tree species in two localities during the food shortage period ; ii) to identify priority species that are used during this period ; and iii) to determine the forms of their valorization. Data were collected using a semi-structured questionnaire supplemented by interviews with key informants and exercises dealing with the classification of preferential species. Results show that the most commonly used strategy during the food shortage period is the consumption of fruits, leaves and flowers harvested from local woody species. In total, 9 species were cited by informants at Pobé-Mengao and 13 species at Nobéré. Boscia senegalensis, Balanites aegyptiaca and Leptadenia hastata are priority species at Pobé-Mengao while Vitellaria paradoxa, Parkia biglobosa and Lannea microcarpa are priority species at Nobéré. In the context of climate change, there is an urgent need to conserve and domesticate these species.