Technological Processes Itinerary and Socio-economic Impact Assessment of Borassus aethiopum Hypocotyles “Agonté” Produced in Centre of Benin Republic

Abstract

Since a few years, Borassus aethiopum hypocotyle, called Agonté in Benin, is more and more produced, processed, marketed and consumed in the large urban centers of Benin. However, its diverse modes of consumption are not documented and thus are little known. In this context, this study was performed to investigate the derived products from the transformation of Agonté. Face-to-face interviews of 120 producers, sellers and transformers were conducted. The majority of those interviewed (96.67%) are women. The investigations concerned the production mode, the distribution channel, the consumption mode and the transformation processes of the hypocotyle. Data were analyzed using means, percentage, frequencies and Fischer’s test. The results show that Agonté is used as well in feeding as for therapeutic uses. The most wide-spread mode of consumption is the boiled shape. Besides this shape of consumption, Agonté is also transformed in a craft way into flour, couscous, dry ships, fufu, and gari. Half of the investigated people have an annual income ranged between 800 and 2000 $ US. Due to its importance, Agonté deserves a particular attention for a better processes assessment of derived products.