Value chain analysis of Balanites aegyptiaca (L.) DEL. and Ziziphus mauritiana Lam. fruits in the Ferlo (Senegal)[Analyse de la chaine de valeurs des fruits de Balanites aegyptiaca (L.) DEL., Ziziphus mauritiana Lam., dans le Ferlo (Sénégal)]

Despite the important socio-economic role of non-timber forest products from the Great Green Wall in Senegal, little is known about their contribution to the local or national economy. This study aims to analyse the value chain of Balanites aegyptiaca and Ziziphus mauritiana fruits in the Sahelian zone of Senegal. To this end, a socio-economic survey was conducted in the Ferlo area (Widou Thiengoly, Amaly, Labgar, Téssékéré and Dahra) and in the major cities where products from the Great Green Wall are sold, namely Dakar, Thiès and Touba. Individual structured interviews were conducted with a questionnaire administered to 260 people in the study sites. The surveys revealed that only fruits of Balanites aegyptiaca (51%) and Ziziphus mauritiana (49%) species are harvested. Harvesting is almost exclusively done by women (98%). The highest usage values obtained from harvesters (3.05) and consumers (1.73) concern B. aegyptiaca. In the Ferlo, the traders surveyed (banabanas) buy the products at the weekly markets in the various villages along the GMV at the survey sites. In the larger towns, the banabanas transport the products to the urban markets to sell them to wholesalers, demigrosalers, retailers and consumers. The lowest price varies from 200 to 300 FCFA for B. aegyptiaca and from 225 to 400 FCFA for Z. mauritiana. The highest price varies from 300 to 450 FCFA for B. aegyptiaca and from 350 to 500 FCFA for Z. mauritiana. This study reveals the strong economic potential of harvesting and selling forest products from GMV and points to the possibility of job creation, which complements the improvement of the food and nutritional status of the rural populations of the Ferlo through the consumption of these fruits. Keywords: Value chain, Balanites aegyptiaca, Ziziphus mauritiana, Ferlo and Senegal.