Local perceptions of ginger (Zingiber officinale Roscoe) crop management in Burkina Faso

Ginger (Zingiber officinale Rosc., Zingiberaceae) is a highly profitable crop of great interest to growers and processors. However, there is an insufficiency of knowledge about the production practices implemented in the main production areas. This study described farmers’ knowledge of ginger diversity, production constraints, tuber conservation and seed management practices in western Burkina Faso. This assessment was based on surveys conducted through individual interviews and group discussions. The results showed that ginger cultivation is mainly dominated by men (92.9%) aged between 20 and 80. In addition, six (6) major constraints to ginger production were identified, including the difficulty of acquiring quality seed rhizomes (31%), storing of rhizomes (25%) and irregular rainfall (18%). Furthermore, the majority of ginger producers don’t know the existence of different varietal types among the gingers they produced. Only 3.57 % of them can distinguish some recognition criteria in terms of the shape of the rhizomes and the size of the sections (or “fingers”), the shape of the leaves, the color of the flowers, the color of the epidermis and the flesh of the rhizome and even the taste. However, these characteristics are not always considered when selecting seed for production. published by the Journal of Biodiversity and Environmental Sciences | JBES