Perceptions communautaires, usages socio-économiques et importance agroécologique des peuplements de Acacia senegal (L.) Willd. dans le Sud-Ouest du Niger: Cas du site gommier de la grappe de Lido dans la commune de Guéchémé

La presente etude conduite dans la commune rurale de Guecheme a pour objectif de determiner les perceptions et les usages socioeconomiques des peuplements de Acacia senegal. La collecte des donnees s’est basee sur des enquetes ethnobotaniques semi-structurees par interviews individuels dans cinq villages qui constituent la grappe dont releve le site gommier du village de Lido. Au total, 88 personnes constituees d’hommes et de  femmes ont ete enquetees. L’evaluation de la connaissance des  populations sur les usages socioeconomiques de l’espece a ete faite sur la base des indices des valeurs d’usages. Les usages fourragers (PPV = 42,89%), alimentaires (PPV = 20,26%) et therapeutiques (PPV =13,94%), sont les plus rapportes par les enquetes. Les parties de la plante les plus utilisees sont le bois (PPV= 21,56%), la gomme (PPV=18,06%), les feuilles (PPV =17,25) et les fruits (PPV = 12,40%). La connaissance sur l’usage de l’espece ne varie pas selon le sexe, l’âge et la religion, mais varie selon la profession des enquetes. Cet arbuste revet un interet economique capital du fait de l’excellente qualite de sa gomme arabique, un produit forestier non ligneux (PFNL). Il regorge non seulement un interet economique mais aussi ecologique, car elle est aujourd’hui l’espece qui est utilisee dans le processus de la lutte contre la desertification au sahel. Dans les soucis du bien etre des generations futures, cette espece doit etre prise en compte dans les programmes de conservation et de valorisation durable des ressources phytogenetiques d’interet socioeconomique au Niger. Mots cles : Acacia senegal, peuplement, Guecheme, Niger, gomme, socioeconomie. English Title: Community Perceptions, Socio-Economic Uses and Agroecological Importance of Acacia senegal (L.) Willd. in South-West Niger: Case of the gum-tree site of the Lido cluster in the commune of Guecheme This study conducted in the rural commune of Guecheme aims to determine the perceptions and socio-economic usages of Acacia senegal trees. The data collection is based on semi-structured ethnobotanical surveys through individual interviews in five villages that make up the cluster to which the Lido village gum production site belongs. A total of 88 men and women were surveyed. The assessment of populations’ knowledge on the socio-economic usages of the species was made, based on the values of usages’ indices. Fodder (PPV = 42.89%), food (PPV = 20.26%) and therapeutic (PPV = 13.94%) usages were the most reported by the respondents. The parts most used of the plant, are wood (PPV = 21.56%), gum (PPV = 18.06%), leaves (PPV = 17.25) and fruits (PPV = 12.40%). Knowledge about the usage of the species does not vary with consideration to sex, age and religion, but varies with respondents professional occupations. This shrub is of vital interest as it is by excellence the species for the production of gum arabic, a non-timber forest product (NTFP) with high economic value. It is bursting with economic as well as ecological interest, as it is currently the species mostly used in the process of combating desertification in the Sahel. In the interests of the welfare of future generations, this species must be taken into account in programs for the conservation and sustainable development of plant genetic resources of socio-economic value in Niger. Keywords : Acacia senegal, settlement, Guecheme, Niger, gum, socioeconomy.