Palm wine harvesting by the Bassari threatens Borassus aethiopum populations in north-western Guinea

Abstract

The use of the palm tree Borassus aethiopum Mart(Coryphoideae) by the Bassari ethnic group in the Republic of Guinea wasstudied. Ethnic groups have multiple uses for B. aethiopumthroughout its distribution in tropical Africa. The Bassari use this palm mostlyas a palm wine resource. As their harvesting technique leads to the death of thepalm, the populations of this species are highly endangered in the areapopulated by the Bassari. The fast decline of an important resource has recentlygained attention at governmental level. In order to conserve the populations ofthis palm, it is essential to understand whether the Bassari use a lethaltechnique because of socio-economic reasons or due to a lack of knowledge. Thepresent study aims to answer this question. We collected the data in thenorth-western part of the Republic of Guinea in May 1996 by field observationsand by using 'Rapid Rural Appraisal' tools consisting of interactiveinterviews with palm wine harvesters, collectors, carriers and sellers. Afterconstructing a woody ladder fixed to the stem the Bassari extract the sap bycutting a hole into the palm heart and by removing a small part of the palmheart two times per day. Individual trees produce on average 10 lper day. After 35–45 days the sap production ceases and thepalm dies. A harvester kills on average 56 individuals of B.aethiopum per year. As a consequence of this lethal techniqueexploiters have to constantly move through and between palm populations. Thereis no reforestation of the degraded areas. The palm wine extraction ofB. aethiopum is the main activity of the Bassari for 7months of the year. For harvesters, collectors, carriers andsellers, palm wine extraction provides one of the most important annual incomes.The harvester pays a monthly tax of USD 5 to the forestry administration.Despite its economic importance, the Bassari palm wine harvesters rangeB. aethiopum as the sixth most important plant species in the area. The paradoxical situation of acommunity that threatens a resource that it is highly dependent on may beexplained by the following circumstances. Firstly, the exploiters seek a maximumprofit on a short term basis. Secondly, the exploiters apparently do not takeinto consideration the total value of other potential products from theBorassus. Thirdly, the Bassari do not have an importanttradition for exploiting B. aethiopum so that there is noapparent cultural alliance between the Bassari and the palm. Finally, the rulesand regulations for harvesting Borassus products favourquick profit. The extinction of the palm population studied can be expectedwithin about 25 years if no protection measure is taken.