Poverty and Agroforestry Adoption： The Cases of Mucuna pruriens and Acacia auriculiformis in Godohou Village （Southern Benin）

The decomposition of the environmental degradation cost in Benin Republic revealed that the agricultural activities are responsible of the greatest amount of this cost （76.1%）. This situation is strengthened by the fallow periods shortening （and even suppression） in the southern Benin in general, because of demographic pressure. The promotion of some improved fallow technologies （IFT） was then launched some decades ago. This study focused on two IFT of high agro-ecological value, Mucuna pruriens and Acacia auriculiformis, in order to determine the influence of the farmers＇ wellbeing state on their farming systems in general, and on the adoption level of these two technologies in Godohou village （southern Benin）. The data analysis revealed that： There was no significant difference between the farmers＇ amount knowing the agronomic and ecological value of Mucuna pruriens and Acacia auriculiformis from a level of prosperity to another; Three wealth levels were distinguished： The poor class （Ayatonon class）, the less poor class （Metchivo-Houedeka class） and the non poor class （Hotonon class） which represented respectively 35.4%, 55.9% and 8.7%;The adoption rate of Mucuna and Acacia fallow was globally low in Godohou village （25.7%）, but this adoption rate was lesser in the poorest class than in all other classes. This trend was confirmed if we integrate a global agro-ecological analysis of the farming systems practiced by the farmers.

Growth, Development and Suitability for Kent of Mango Rootstocks on Soil Substrates Collected under <i>Anacardium occidentale</i>L., <i>Khaya senegalensis</i>(Desv.) A. Juss and <i>Mangifera indica</i>L., in Casamance, Senegal

With an overall contribution of nearly 4 billion CFA francs to Senegal’s income, providing 23,000 employments more than 50% are women in 2021, the mango sector has shown its importance in the Senegalese economy even if the potential remains largely under-exploited. Thus, the study on the main local varieties remains an important perspective. This work carried out in the farm of the agroforestry department concerns the growth and development of four varieties (Pince, Kouloubadaseky, Sierra Leone and Diourou) on different soils (Mangifera indica, Anacardium occidentale and Khaya senegalensis). This work aims to contribute to the knowledge of the most cultivated varieties in Casamance. It is also a question of seeing the response of these varieties to grafting with the Kent variety. An experiment was conducted for one year with a split plot design consisting of 4 replicates (blocks). Each block contains 4 plots and each plot contains 3 sub-plots with 20 plants each. The parameters measured were: diameter at the collar, height, number of leaves, biomass, number of growth units and grafting success rate. The Sierra Leone variety showed the best growth results in terms of diameter at the crown (0.511 ± 0.090), leaf production (16 ± 2.52) and dry biomass (28.67 ± 16.80). The Kouloubadaseky variety had the best height record (41.90 ± 6.15) and the Diourou variety gave the best results in terms of fresh biomass (68.94 ± 30.90), number of growth units (9.350 ± 2.06) and grafting success rate (78.84% ± 29.44%). Anacardium occidentale soil substrate gave the best growth in height (39.73 ± 5.54 cm) while the substrate collected under M. indica L produced a greater number of leaves (13.14 ± 3.64) and grafting success rate (71.12% ± 37.25%). The Khaya senegalensis substrate recorded the highest values in biomass production (61.00 ± 35.93 for fresh biomass and 25.25% ± 15.74% for dry biomass).