Locals’ perceptions of the conservation status and socio-cultural factors determining the consent for cultivation of Vitex doniana Sweet, a threatened species in Burkina Faso

Abstract

• Local perceptions and cultural values determine conservation priorities for V. doniana. • Grazing demarcation and stronger laws are essential for V. doniana habitat conservation. • Gender, age and education determine local willingness to cultivate V. doniana. • Domestication is limited by germination constraints and land challenges. Vitex doniana Sweet is a socio-economically important agroforestry species in Africa. However, the species is threatened by overexploitation, the degradation of its natural habitats, and the climate pejoration. Understanding the socio-cultural factors that influence local perceptions of species status and influence decisions about its conservation or cultivation is crucial for developing effective management strategies. Semi-structured individual interviews were conducted with 384 respondents familiar with the species. The questionnaire concerned the socio-cultural profile of respondents, their opinion on the species availability, the local conservation practices, and their willingness to cultivate or to conserve the species in-situ. The results showed that the majority of people (77.72%) perceive a decline in V. doniana populations. This regressive perception varied significantly depending on ethnic group, education level, and main occupation. Overexploitation (34.64%), agriculture (19.79%), vegetation fires (14.06%), and negative effects of climate change (10.01%) were cited as the main causes of the species decline. Despite the species is recognized to be in decline and the causes are known, few conservation strategies were implemented by locals. When cited, their number varied significantly according to ethnic groups and education level. The cited local practices for the conservation of V. doniana included planting (25.65%), raising awareness (20.68%), cutting interdiction (18.23%), and natural assisted regeneration (15.62%). Furthermore, gender, age and education level were the socio-demographic factors that significantly influenced the willingness of people to cultivate V. doniana . These finding prove that successful conservation strategies for the species must consider the sociodemographic dimension in a participatory approach.