LOCAL EXPLOITATION AND CHARACTERIZATION OF BALANITES AEGYPTIACA (L.) DEL PARKS IN THE SUDANO-SAHELIAN ZONE OF CAMEROON, FAR-NORTH, CAMEROON

Balanites aegyptiaca is a valuable resource for local African populations. However, this natural resource is managed in an irrational and abusive way by local communities. In order to contribute to the enhancement and sustainable management of B. aegyptiaca, an approach combining two methods has been adopted. The first is based on an ethnobotanical survey relating to local knowledge of B. aegyptiaca products and the second is focused on the surface survey in 4 Divisions of the Far North Region of Cameroon. In total, 400 people aged at least 15 years were chosen according to their knowledge of B. aegyptiaca, ie 100 people in each Division. The experimental design is a split-plot (4 x 4), then Sub-Divisions (Kalfou, Mindif, Moutourwa and Pette) constitute the main treatment. B. aegyptiaca is an agroforestry species that plays a very important role in the life of local communities. The main products used are leaves (100%), fruits (98.19%) and seeds (90.06%). They are used mainly in consumption (98.19%) and marketing (91.67%). Garawa Park in Moutourwa Sub-Division is the richest in taxonomic diversity, with 20 species, divided into 14 genera and 11 families. On the other hand, B. aegyptiaca park of Ourosambo located in Kalfou Division is the least diversified with 9 species, divided into 7 genera and 6 families. The other parks show intermediate specific diversity, with the number of species varying from 10 species (Doyang) to 18 species (Toutka). The Shannon diversity index varies in the parks from 1.77 bit (Ourosambo) to 2.86 bit (Maoudine). Parkland vegetation has an “L” structure based on crown diameter and diameter at breast height (DBH). Depending on the heights, the vegetation presents an inverted “U” structure. These results could serve as a reference for the elaboration of strategies for the development and sustainable management of B. aegyptiaca parks in the Sudano-Sahelian zone of Cameroon.