Assistant, Département de Linguistique et Science du langage, Faculté de lettres et Sciences Humaines, Université Abdou Moumouni (UAM), BP 418 Niamey, Niger
As in all regions of Niger, the floral resource is subject to various levies by the different communities in the W Park biosphere reserve. To exploit this resource, local populations have developed a body of knowledge and techniques handed down from generation to generation. This knowledge and know-how varies according to the environment, socio-cultural considerations and plant potential of each locality. This study focuses on local people’s knowledge of the flora and techniques for processing harvested products from the Parc du W reserve. These questions are addressed through an inventory of known and used flora resources, the identification of people’s knowledge and know-how in terms of the use of flora resources and harvested products in the Parc du W biosphere reserve, and the processing techniques for harvested products. The results reveal a multiple and multifaceted use of flora in fields as varied as food, traditional pharmacopoeia, cultural practices and domestic use. Gathering appears in the biosphere as a daily practice for these populations and, depending on the context and the type of plant, ensures the survival of the local population.