Marantaceae in Central Gabon: Identification and Marketing
The forests of the Congo Basin cover an area of 200 million hectares, of which just over 10% is in Gabon. In this country, crop products and non-timber forest products (NTFPs) are abundant because of its favourable climate. There is significant biodiversity and great potential for non-timber forest products. This study is interested in the identification and the supply chain of the Marantaceae, one of these NTFPs of plant origin in central Gabon, whose exploitation is national. Through a survey of the main actors in the sector and field visits in the locality of Bifoun, it emerges the existence of three large groups of exploited marantaceae, whose harvest and transport are mainly done by women, in various containers. The storage of this NTFPs does not exceed four days, with the risk of losing its commercial value due to drying out. The uses of this resource are multiple: processing cassava, cooking food, making handicrafts, etc. The income it provides to producers is mainly use towards small family expenses but helps to monetize the rural world. The difficulties inherent in the distance from harvesting points, the low price of the product and the impossibility of long-term storage of the marantaceae leaves constitute a brake on the development of this activity. It would therefore be wise to envisage the domestication of the species listed for a sustainable use of this plant genetic resource.
Non-timber forest products (NTFPs), through their multiple uses, contribute to the subsistence of populations and provide them with income (Shankar et al., 2001; Walter, 2001; Mbolo et al., 2002; Biloso & Lejoly, 2006; Vermeulen et al., 2009). The use of various categories of non-timber forest products is sometimes the only source of income for some rural populations (Nguenang et al., 2010; Thiombiano et al., 2010; Ngoya-Kessy, 2011). In recent years, NTFPs have considerably aroused interest worldwide as it contribution to household economy and food security is increasingly recognized (Lescuyer, 2010; Loubelo, 2012), as well as to the achievement of environmental objectives such as the conservation of plant biodiversity (Arnold & Ruiz, 2001; Doucet, 2006; Tchatat & Ndoye, 2006). According to the abovementioned authors and Lehoux and Chakib (2012), these products play a role in terms of food, economic value and their usage for divers purposes (Sunderland et al., 2003; Tchiegang & Mbougueng, 2005; Betti & Lejoly, 2010; Priso et al., 2011).
According to Tchatat and Ndoye (2006), the question of reasonable management of NTFPs is of great importance in meeting sustainable development objective. Vermeulen et al. (2009) point out the need to know the techniques used for the exploitation of plant genetic resources on the one hand, and the promotion of the domestication of these resources in their different regions, on the other hand. Plants of the Marantaceae family are mainly distributed across the ecologies of tropical America and Africa (Cabezas et al., 2005; Tchatat & Ndoye, 2006).
These are monocotyledons with fairly significant genetic variability, which offers many uses to the populations. For example, the use of Haumania liebrechtsiana (De Wild. & T. Durand) is preferred over other Marantaceae because of its flexible stem used for building huts, basketwork and making fishing vessels. The bevelled pieces of internodes are also used to build cages for rat traps. The stem rings can be made and used to hold bundles of wood and leaves (Tchatat & Ndoye, 2006). According to the same authors, the stems of Hypselodelphys violacea (Ridl.) are also used for traps making. The rings formed with these stems are used to hold together bundles of wood and leaves. The strips detached from the petiole of Marantochloa manii (Benth.) are used in basketry, in cooking as ties for cassava sticks and various packets of food, as well as ties for bundles Marantaceae leaves.
According to Ndouano & Ada-Ntoutoume (2002), the leaves of Megaphrynium macrostachyum (Benth.) were used as vegetable roof tiles to cover huts or waterproof clothing. However, the most prominent use of those leaves is for food packaging (e.g., cassava sticks) as well as food storage and food cooking of various types of food products. The cortical strips of the petioles (free from the pith) are used for weaving fishing tools, but also as ties to fix the leaves on the roofs or consolidate bundles. The short leaves of Sarcophrynium brachystachys (Benth.) are widely used by women for wrapping short cassava sticks.
The aim of this present study is twofold: firstly, to identify the species of Marantaceae exploited by the peasants in the central Gabon, and secondly laying the foundations of the domestication of this perishable resource. This study is therefore of multiple interest, from a social, economic, ecological and scientific standpoint.
Source : Identification and marketing of Marantaceae in the Ndjolé area, in central Gabon
