DIAGNOSTIC ET AXES DE RECHERCHE POUR UNE EXPLOITATION POUR UNE EXPLOITATION RATIONNELLE DE L’ANACARDERAIE AU BÉNIN

Abstract

Despite the favorable situation for cashew cropping development in Benin, many biotic and abiotic constraints still restrain the tree production. The study aimed to identify the production constraints and potentials of cashew fields in Benin. Participatory accelerated research method was used for data collection. 42 group discussions were organized from january to february 2013, using the semi-structured questionnaire in 21 villages selected in three agroecological zones favorable to the cashew cropping in Benin. At the end of this work, 338 farmers including 74 women participated at the group discussions. The ranking method was used to hierarchy the main constraints mentioned by farmers. The main cultivated crops varied according to sex and the production zones. Cashew producers were knowledge able on the characteristics and damages of the main pests, nutrients’ recycling and the effect of climatic variability on the cashew production. According to farmers, a good rainfall distribution and a good sunniness affected positively the trees productivity. Furthermore, the flowers were miscarried and therefore the number of the fruits produced was reduced further to violent winds. The main constraints of cashew production identified were related to fields’maintenance, pests’ management, vegetation fire and cashew nuts’ theft. In order to improve cashew field productivity in Benin, the fitting dispositions such as access to agricultural credits, integrated soils and pests management, attenuation strategies of climatic variability effects, sensitization and training of farmers, may be taken into account by the different actors