Protected area

Harvesting_African Mahogany_Burkina Faso

Emma_Hemmerle — Thu, 10 Feb 2022 12:53:01 +0000

Harvesting_African Mahogany_Burkina Faso Emma_Hemmerle Thu, 02/10/2022 - 12:53

Affiliation

IIED

Date Of Record Entry

Thu, 02/10/2022 - 12:00

Type of wild species covered by the record

Wild species used in its natural habitat

Stage of the value chain covered by the record

Primary Producer/harvester (e.g., NTFP collectors, egg collectors)

Record Source

Scientific publication (e.g., journal articles and book chapters independently peer-reviewed)

Impact of bark and foliage harvesting on fruit production of the multipurpose tree Afzelia africana in Burkina Faso (West Africa)

Decreasing

Is the species endemic HIDE

Population Status

Unknown/not recorded

National Level

Formal national protection in place

Afzelia africana is listed as an endangered species on the national red list of Burkina Faso

Threats/Pressures impacting the conservation of the species

Agriculture

Illegal/Unregulated Logging and Wood Extraction

Population Trend

Unknown/not recorded

Sub-national Level

Unknown/not recorded

Additional Details (if available)

Intensive exploitation of this species for timber, used by the international market, is a significant threat. It is also becoming threatened where there is high pressure for fodder, such as in Mali, Burkina Faso, Benin, Nigeria and Cameroon (Gérard and Louppe 2011). Cutting the branches for livestock fodder and debarking for medicinal purposes is uncontrolled in eastern Burkina Faso and this harvesting has negatively affected the population structure and fruit production of this species (Nacoulma et al. 2011, 2017).

In the Northern and West Nile regions of Uganda, this species has declined dramatically in recent years due to harvesting for charcoal and carvings for the tourist market (Kirunda et al. 2016). In the last two years, Uganda has experienced rampant illegal harvest of the species in protected areas and private land mainly for timber export to Asia. This prompted a government ban on the harvest and trade in 2017, though this did not stop the export trade (I. Katwesige pers. comm. 2019). In South Sudan, this species is heavily used and considered threatened (M. Kordofani pers. comm. 2020). General habitat loss such as forest clearance for agriculture is also a threat in parts of this species range (Onana and Cheek 2011).

Name

Emma Hemmerlé

Scientific Name

Afzelia africana

Common Name(s)

African Mahogany

Type of Use

Extractive (i.e., the entire organism or parts of the organism are removed from its environment)

If extractive, for the target species, is this use

Non-Lethal

Does this use involve take/extraction of

Only parts or products of the organism (e.g., feathers, leaves, branches, eggs, nuts)

Details of parts/products taken

bark and foliage harvesting
The bark is harvested and used as an important medicine to treat various diseases, including diar- rhoea, coughs, gastrointestinal disorders, general pain in humans and in veterinary medicine (Arbonnier 2002; Orwa et al. 2009). Afzelia africana is also used for religious purposes (a fetish tree) in many regions and the bark is removed both for medicinal purposes and for sacrifices throughout the year; Being among the most used fodder tree species, Afzelia africana foliage is heavily harvested to feed livestock;

How is the primary use carried out?

Gathering/Cutting/Collecting Terrestrial Plants and Fungi or Their Products From the Wild

Are specific characteristics/traits being targeted?

Unknown/not recorded

Purpose of Use

Basic subsistence (meeting day to day essential needs)

What is the main end use for any living organisms, parts or products taken/extracted?

Food for animals (including aquaculture)

Medicine/Pharmaceutical (human/veterinary)

Cultural or religious practices

What is the trend in the level of offtake within the period covered by this record?

Protected area

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