Abstract:
Vitellaria paradoxa (Gaertn C. F.), or shea tree, remains one of the most valuable trees for
farmers in the Atacora district of northern Benin, where rural communities depend on shea
products for both food and income. To optimize productivity and management of shea agroforestry systems, or "parklands," accurate and up-to-date data are needed. For this purpose, we monitored120 fruiting shea trees for two years under three land-use scenarios and
different soil groups in Atacora, coupled with a farm household survey to elicit information
on decision making and management practices. To examine the local pattern of shea tree
productivity and relationships between morphological factors and yields, we used a randomized branch sampling method and applied a regression analysis to build a shea yield model
based on dendrometric, soil and land-use variables. We also compared potential shea
yields based on farm household socio-economic characteristics and management practices
derived from the survey data. Soil and land-use variables were the most important determinants of shea fruit yield. In terms of land use, shea trees growing on farmland plots exhibited
the highest yields (i.e., fruit quantity and mass) while trees growing on Lixisols performed
better than those of the other soil group. Contrary to our expectations, dendrometric parameters had weak relationships with fruit yield regardless of land-use and soil group. There is
an inter-annual variability in fruit yield in both soil groups and land-use type. In addition to
observed inter-annual yield variability, there was a high degree of variability in production
among individual shea trees. Furthermore, household socioeconomic characteristics such
as road accessibility, landholding size, and gross annual income influence shea fruit yield.
The use of fallow areas is an important land management practice in the study area that
influences both conservation and shea yield.
