In the lack of a suitable control strategy, sorrel seeds are heavily damaged by S. niger during the storage. Better post-harvest management will make it possible to add value to this legume and make it available throughout the year. The aim of this study was to gain a better understanding of the various post-harvest practices applied to sorrel seeds, from harvesting to storage, with a view to implementing an effective control strategy against S. niger. A survey was conducted among 600 producers in 12 regions, one hundred (100) sorrel seeds traders and one hundred (100) pesticide sellers in the cities of Ouagadougou, Bobo-Dioulasso, and Pouytenga of Burkina Faso.
The results showed that eight percent (8%) of farmers and 56% of traders used chemical insecticides to preserve sorrel seeds. Phostoxin, an organophosphate insecticide, and Protect DP, an insecticide of the pyrethroid family, were respectively used by 87% and 13% of seed traders. Eighty-three percent (83%) of farmers and 76% of traders did not follow the prescribed doses.
The incorrect use of insecticides before and after use is a factor in environmental pollution and often results in their ineffectiveness against pests. This information is very useful for developing an integrated protection strategy for sorrel seeds.
Food security is a major challenge for developing countries. Non-Timber Forest Products (NTFPs) are a source of income for families, improving their living conditions. Tamarind is a NTFP used for many purposes, both for food and industrial purposes. However, it suffers from pest attacks. This study aimed to evaluate the post-harvest practices of tamarind fruits and the constraints related to its storage in the communes of Bobo-Dioulasso and Ouagadougou. A survey conducred in the form of a semi-structured interview toward 113 respondents in Bobo-Dioulasso and 138 in Ouagadougou. The participatory diagnosis showed that the majority of respondents in Bobo-Dioulasso (70.19%) and Ouagadougou (57.33%) considered insects to be the main cause of damage to the pods. We observe a preponderance of perforated beans (63.16%) in Ouagadougou, while in Bobo-Dioulasso the percentage was 29.85. After collecting the pods, 78.95% of the farmers in Ouagadougou dehull the pods immediately and then keep the pulp without further drying, in contrast to Bobo-Dioulasso (16.67%) where only a minority practice this. More than half of the interviewers sell tamarind to meet specific needs. As for control methods, the main ones are steaming of tamarind used by 72.92% of farmers in Ouagadougou, while in Bobo-Dioulasso only 25.64%. These results show that tamarind pods are highly exposed to insect attacks. It is therefore necessary to investigate the improvement of traditional control methods by including other natural alternatives in order to minimize losses and promote tamarind exploitation.