Women are key players in the agricultural sector in most developing countries. However, their roles in different agricultural production systems are often poorly known. The present study, conducted in the Centre of Côte d'Ivoire, aimed to highlight the main activities carried out by women in the management of cocoa-based agroforestry systems. To achieve this aim, interviews were conducted of 268 women involved in the management of cocoa agroforestry systems in six localities. Among them, more than 69 % are producers’ wives. The interviews helped identifying the activities performed by these women in these systems. The results show that women are mainly involved in the maintenance of the plantation (91.4 %) during the first year. They are more active in the creation of nurseries (28 %), in the plantation (37.7 %), in the harvest of cocoa pods (48.9 %), and in the maintenance of the beans (36.4 %). Despite this, it is clear that the majority of activities related to cocoa farming is the responsibility of men. More work with stakeholders (men and women) in all the producing areas will help to better understand the organization of work in cocoa agroforests to provide more information on women’s place in cocoa farming and their influence on the choice of species associated with cocoa trees.
Chimpanzees communities depend highly on plant resources availability and the stability of their habitats. To characterize the territories of chimpanzees living in Taï National Park, this study aimed to analyze species diversity and structural parameters of these habitats. Rectangular transect of 93 ha were established in three chimpanzee territories. On each transect, trees with dbh ≥ 10 cm were identified, measured, and counted. Two hundred sixty four (264) plant species belonging to 180 genera and 52 botanical families were recorded in the three territories. The most important families are Ebenaceae, Fabaceae, and Malvaceae. The dominant plant species are Diospyros mannii, Calpocalyx brevibracteatus, and Coula edulis. The chimpanzees feed on the leaves and fruits of these three species. The studied territories present a density (486.5 individuals/ha) and a basal area (30.88 m2/ha) similar to those of most of tropical forests. Vegetation structure reveals that those habitats are stable with high regeneration capacity. By contributing to a best knowledge of chimpanzees’ habitats, this study establishes a scientific base for their communities monitoring in the Taï National Park.