Wild plants with edible fruits commercialized in markets in the city of Daloa, Central-West of the Côte d’Ivoire: Specific diversity, origin and economic fallout

Abstract

The diversity of wild species and their edible fruits commercialized in the markets is unrecognized. In the Côte d’Ivoire, in the markets of many cities, in particular in Daloa, in the Central-West of the country, the edible fruits of some wild species are commercialized. The aim of the study is to know these spontaneous plant species and their edible fruits commercialized in the markets in Daloa. By the ethnobotanical survey method, semi-structured interviews with 24 people from the wild edible fruit commercialization sector aged 25 to 65, distributed into 21 women (87.5%) and 3 men (12.5%) in 7 markets s were made. The geographical coordinates of the survey sites were maked out using a GPS. In total, 17 wild species with edible fruits divided into 17 genera and 14 families have been identified. The most represented families are the Annonaceae, the Fabaceae and the Malvaceae with 11.76% of the species each. The results showed that the commercialization of the fruits of these wild species generates monthly financial income inconstant according to the production seasons and the actors identified: gatherers, wholesalers and retailers. They gave information on the diversity of wild species with edible fruits still commercialized in the markets. These results can guide scientific reflections and actions on the vulgarization and sustainable management of these plants threatened with extinction due to excessive deforestation.