Impact of Cultural Practice, Socio-economic Level and Environment on the Profitability of the Date Palm (Phoenix dactylifera L.) in Niger (West Africa)

Abstract

Phoeniciculture, or date palm cultivation plays a major socio-economic and ecological role. However, few studies have quantified the drivers of date palm cultivation and its socio-economic and environmental benefits in West African Sahel. Therefore, this study assessed the effect of anthropic and environmental factors on quantitative and qualitative production of dates palm in Niger. We conducted an ethnobotanical survey to collect data in the Sahelian and Saharian zones of Niger. We used permutation regression test to assess the influence of climatic conditions, fidelity of cultural practices implementation and the socio-economic level of producers on the date palm profitability. The Spearman rank correlation coefficients between the economic parameters and the geographical position of palm groves were also estimated based on the Spearman rank permutation test. A total of 60 producers were surveyed in ten villages of Sahelian and Saharian zones known as two main phoenicicultural areas in Niger. This analysis showed that date palm production varies quantitatively and qualitatively across agro-ecological zones. The study revealed also that ethnic groups influence the quantitative aspect of date palm production (P = 0.023), by socioeconomic parameters (P = 0.005) and by the index of fidelity to the cultural practice implementation (P = 0.035). The date palm production varies quantitatively (P = 0.001) and qualitatively (P = 0.033) according to the agro-climatic zones. The Spearman rank test shows a significant correlation between the quantitative and qualitative production, the geographical position of the palm groves and the depth of the water table. The profitability of the date palm seems not to be up to the phoenicicultural potential that can be the consequence of the poor implementation of the cultural practices, the socio-economic level of the producers and the environmental conditions.

Agrobiodiversity and Sustainability of Oasis Agrosystems in Palm Groves of Sahara and Sahel in Chad

“…The technique of burning dry palms is not widely applied by the majority of farmers, only 33% in the Sahara and 23% in the Sahel. These results are equivalent to those observed in Niger by Ibrahim et al (2020).…”

“…Similarly, pruning of the spikelets of the female inflorescence is not carried out by growers either before or after pollination although this practice contributes to improving yields. In Niger, this cultivation technique is used much more since 96.66% of farmers in Sahara and 57.14% of farmers in Sahel reduce the number of female inflorescences (Ibrahim et al, 2020).…”

Influence of geographical isolation and anthropic activities on genetic differentiation of date palm populations in Niger

“…The combination of local environmental conditions and genetic migration limited by the distance between subpopulations could act more on the local differentiation of allele frequencies (Wright, 1943) which can considerably impact the genetic structure of populations. In the date palm areas of Niger, some palm groves are very far from each other and even though cultivation practices vary from one area to another and from one palm grove to another (Ibrahim et al 2020). The palm groves of Niger are distributed in the Saharan and Sahelian zones and that there is a relationship between the geographical distribution and the cultivation practices (Ibrahim et al, 2020).…”

“…In the date palm areas of Niger, some palm groves are very far from each other and even though cultivation practices vary from one area to another and from one palm grove to another (Ibrahim et al 2020). The palm groves of Niger are distributed in the Saharan and Sahelian zones and that there is a relationship between the geographical distribution and the cultivation practices (Ibrahim et al, 2020). Furthermore, the history of palm groves in Niger shows that the two subpopulations have a different origin (Ibrahim et al, 2020).…”

“…The palm groves of Niger are distributed in the Saharan and Sahelian zones and that there is a relationship between the geographical distribution and the cultivation practices (Ibrahim et al, 2020). Furthermore, the history of palm groves in Niger shows that the two subpopulations have a different origin (Ibrahim et al, 2020). The palm groves of the Sahara are old (1570 years) and therefore more sophisticated cultivation practices have been developed (Ibrahim et al, 2020).…”