In Burkina Faso, the food post- harvest conservation remains a major constraint. A survey to understand farmers' perceptions of post-harvest conservation of cowpea and Bambara groundnut was carried out in nine villages of Hauts-Bassins. This survey was followed by an evaluation of samples taken from stocks of these legumes. The results show that farmers retain their crops of Bambara groundnut and cowpea at home in bags, sealed and unsealed devices. The use of traditional methods is the most widespread. According to farmers, the insects are responsible for the essential of post-harvest losses of legumes. Laboratory analysis of the samples collected, helped to identify six (6) insect species distributed in the orders of Coleoptera and Hymenoptera. Callosobruchus maculatus Fab. and Callosobruchus subinnotatus Pic. are the most abundant species.
Knowledge of post-harvest strategies in a traditional rural environment is an essential prerequisite for the development of methods and structures for effective protection of stored products. Such knowledge opens the way for the definition of methods for detection of infestations and loss estimation, the recommendation of rational methods of control, preventive as well as curative.