Evaluation of local knowledge in the ecological restoration of degraded forest landscapes in Burkina Faso

Titre courant : Perception paysanne de la protection de l’environnement

Abstract

The degradation of ecosystems and the loss of biodiversity are still on the increase, with serious consequences for people around the world. To halt and reverse the decline in biodiversity, Burkina Faso has committed to restoring 5 Mha of degraded land by 2030. However, the country is struggling to meet its target, mainly due to the lack of long-term funding and the exclusion of local communities in the design of most projects. In order to contribute to the successful implementation of these projects, this study was initiated with the aim of determining local people's perceptions of the woody species that should be considered in the restoration of degraded forest landscapes in the localities of Tiogo and Saria. To this end, semi-structured surveys were carried out among 240 people in the both localities on the issue. The study revealed that the two populations use 63 woody species that they would like to see prioritised in the restoration of their degraded landscapes. Analysis of farmers' perceptions shows that local people are aware of the degradation phenomenon and are proposing strategies that could help conserve and ecologically restore resources. Consideration of these fundings could help policy-makers and development partners to sustainably restore the country's degraded forest ecosystems.