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Face a labaisse de la productivite des cultivars existants, certains producteurs developpent des strategies d’amelioration : l’une d’entre elles consiste a cultiver des ignames sauvages pour obtenir de nouvelles varietes. Des terroirs de deux aires culturelles du Benin (Bariba au Nord et Nagot au Centre) ont ete choisis en 1999 et 2000 pour etudier ce savoir faire, les methodes utilisees et les raisons de l’adoption ou de l’abandon de l’ennoblissement (ou domestication). L’enquete a ete realisee dans 240 exploitations de la sous-prefecture de Sinende (aire culturelle Bariba) et de la sous-prefecture de Bante (aire culturelle Nagot). A Sinende, vingt et un paysans «domesticateurs» ont ete recenses (1,2 % des producteurs d’igname des cinq terroirs) et quinze a Bante (5,7 % des producteurs). De nombreux genotypes de Dioscorea abyssinica («dika» en Bariba, «arabaye» ou «Itchou okinkon» en Nagot), sont selectionnes dans les friches proches des champs suivant la taille des tubercules et leurs qualites gustatives. Les tubercules subissent certains stress morphogenetiques dont la double recolte pendant plusieurs annees consecutives. Les meilleurs produits de la domestication sont melanges a d’anciennes varietes locales : Orou Yinsingui, Soagona, Kpakara, Soussou, Dani, Kpouna, Kpanhouri souanrou, Moroko a Sinende et Afo, Odor, Simini, Mondji, Gnamaro a Bante. Dans les huit terroirs, la domestication est aussi motivee par la recherche de bonnes varietes disparues, le desir de verifier d’anciennes connaissances recues et la recherche de boutures pour l’agrandissement ou l’installation de nouveaux champs. Les abandons sont dus a l’acquisition de cultivars par d’autres moyens et a la faible plasticite morphologique des plantes issues des tubercules sauvages collectes. La domestication est consideree par les Bariba comme deshonorante bien que les dikasoient employes dans la pharmacopee et les rites magiques visant a augmenter les rendements ou proteger la culture d’igname. The traditional farming system of the yam in Benin (4th world producer) is threatened by the decrease of the productivity of the existing cultivars, the lack of methods of conservation of the varieties, and the exhaustion of the rich soils. Taking into account these problems, the producers develop strategies for improvement such as the use of the wild yams. Several villages of two ethnic group areas of Benin (Bariba and Nagot) were studied in 1999 and 2000 with aims of knowing: (1) the importance of this local knowledge, (2) the methods used, (3) the reasons of the adoption or the abandonment of domestication. The investigation was carried out in 240 farms: 150 in five villages of the district of Sinende and 90 in 3 villages of the district of Bante. 86 farmers having practise at least once were listed (62 in Sinende and 24 in Bante). In Sinende, the 21 currents “domesticators” represent 1.2 % of the yam producers. The 15 in Bante represent 5.7 % of the yam producers. Many genotypes of Dioscorea abyssinica (called "dika" at Sinende, "arabaye" or "Itchou okinkon" at Bante), are selected in savannah or long-term fallow according to the size of the tubers and their taste. The tubers undergo certain treatments such as double harvest during several years. In Bante, many alternatives were observed according to the evolution of the collected tubers, in particular the use of the distal part of the wild yams. The installation of an obstacle in the mound the first year was observed only in Sinende. The best products of domestication are mixed with the existing stock of varieties. Domestication is considered by Bariba’s people as dishonouring although the wild yams are used in pharmacopoeia and magic rites aiming to increase the outputs or to protect the yam fields. In the eight villages, the main purpose of domestication is not declared creation of new varieties but it is justified by (1) the search for good disappeared varieties; (2) the desire to check old received knowledge; (3) the search for “seed” beets for the enlarging or the installation of new field. |
