SUSTAINABLE COCOA MANAGEMENT AND PRODUCTION BASED ON LOCAL KNOWLEDGE IN CENTRAL COTE D'IVOIRE

Central Cpte d Ivoire is home to forest-savannah contact zones with conditions that are not very favourable for cocoa production. However, the existence of cocoa plantations in these areas has been observed and is attributed to the presence of various agroforestry systems in which local and exotic species are combined with cocoa trees to overcome the various environmental constraints. To provide information on the local knowledge and technologies underlying the viability and sustainability of these production systems, an ethnobotanical survey of 102 farmers in the Kokumbo sub-prefecture (central Côte d'Ivoire) was carried out. Floristic inventories were also carried out in the cocoa plantations of the producers interviewed. The data collected was analysed firstly to establish the history of the plantations and their management, and secondly to determine the quality of the woody flora preserved. These analyses show that the main knowledge that farmers have about cocoa growing comes from their parents and from sharing their experiences with other farmers. The average size of cocoa plantations is 2.53 hectares. The Forastero Upper-Amazonian variety is considered more productive by farmers, gradually replacing weak or dead plants. However, farmers use seeds from cocoa trees whose pods they visually appreciate. In addition to direct sowing and nurseries, farmers are using flattening techniques, which give better results. Lack of resources and awareness of the potential negative effects of herbicides mean that producers resort to manual weeding of their plantations. Trees remain an integral part of cocoa growing in the area. Indeed, the trees associated with cocoa trees provide essential goods and services to the local population, covering their needs for timber, firewood, food and medicinal plant remedies.