Local Perceptions of Forest-Based Ecosystem Services in Benin, West Africa

Robert Sourokou; Fifanou Gbèlidji Vodouhe

doi:doi:10.11648/j.ajaf.20241202.16

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Local Perceptions of Forest-Based Ecosystem Services in Benin, West Africa

Robert Sourokou^*

, Fifanou Gbèlidji Vodouhe

Published in American Journal of Agriculture and Forestry (Volume 12, Issue 2)

Received: 27 March 2024 Accepted: 11 April 2024 Published: 29 April 2024

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Abstract

Ecosystem services are closely linked to the daily lives of local communities, particularly those living near forests. The study of the local perceptions of these services is relevant because they vary depending on the community, the study period, and the environment. So beyond the inventorying of ecosystem services, understanding the perceptions of local communities regarding these services remains a necessity. Our study aims to analyze how local communities perceive the ecosystem services provided by forests and the factors that determine these perceptions. We collected data from 232 heads of households across 23 villages bordering the forest and analyzed them using descriptive statistics and ordered Probit analysis. The results showed that provisioning services (such as plant-derived medicines, rafters and planks, livestock feed, crops, and firewood) were the most important, followed by regulating and supporting services (including soil formation, erosion control, and climate regulation) are the most important. Finally, cultural services (encompassing cultural practices, heritage, and spirituality) were perceived as important. However, communities did not perceive the value of ecotourism. Factors influencing these perceptions included gender (male), age (young individuals), occupation in farming, household size, level of education, Bariba ethnicity and income. To ensure the sustainable utilization of forest resources in the region, it is necessary to encourage young people to adopt environmentally friendly agricultural practices, to use improved stoves that require less wood and promote cultural services to diversify their sources of income.

Published in	American Journal of Agriculture and Forestry (Volume 12, Issue 2)
DOI	10.11648/j.ajaf.20241202.16
Page(s)	113-128
Creative Commons	This is an Open Access article, distributed under the terms of the Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International License (http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/), which permits unrestricted use, distribution and reproduction in any medium or format, provided the original work is properly cited.
Copyright	Copyright © The Author(s), 2024. Published by Science Publishing Group

Keywords

Benin, Ecosystem Services, Forest, Local Communities, Local Perceptions, Natural Resource Use

References

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Sourokou, R., Vodouhe, F. G. (2024). Local Perceptions of Forest-Based Ecosystem Services in Benin, West Africa. American Journal of Agriculture and Forestry, 12(2), 113-128. https://doi.org/10.11648/j.ajaf.20241202.16

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Sourokou, R.; Vodouhe, F. G. Local Perceptions of Forest-Based Ecosystem Services in Benin, West Africa. Am. J. Agric. For. 2024, 12(2), 113-128. doi: 10.11648/j.ajaf.20241202.16

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Sourokou R, Vodouhe FG. Local Perceptions of Forest-Based Ecosystem Services in Benin, West Africa. Am J Agric For. 2024;12(2):113-128. doi: 10.11648/j.ajaf.20241202.16

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@article{10.11648/j.ajaf.20241202.16,
  author = {Robert Sourokou and Fifanou Gbèlidji Vodouhe},
  title = {Local Perceptions of Forest-Based Ecosystem Services in Benin, West Africa
},
  journal = {American Journal of Agriculture and Forestry},
  volume = {12},
  number = {2},
  pages = {113-128},
  doi = {10.11648/j.ajaf.20241202.16},
  url = {https://doi.org/10.11648/j.ajaf.20241202.16},
  eprint = {https://article.sciencepublishinggroup.com/pdf/10.11648.j.ajaf.20241202.16},
  abstract = {Ecosystem services are closely linked to the daily lives of local communities, particularly those living near forests. The study of the local perceptions of these services is relevant because they vary depending on the community, the study period, and the environment. So beyond the inventorying of ecosystem services, understanding the perceptions of local communities regarding these services remains a necessity. Our study aims to analyze how local communities perceive the ecosystem services provided by forests and the factors that determine these perceptions. We collected data from 232 heads of households across 23 villages bordering the forest and analyzed them using descriptive statistics and ordered Probit analysis. The results showed that provisioning services (such as plant-derived medicines, rafters and planks, livestock feed, crops, and firewood) were the most important, followed by regulating and supporting services (including soil formation, erosion control, and climate regulation) are the most important. Finally, cultural services (encompassing cultural practices, heritage, and spirituality) were perceived as important. However, communities did not perceive the value of ecotourism. Factors influencing these perceptions included gender (male), age (young individuals), occupation in farming, household size, level of education, Bariba ethnicity and income. To ensure the sustainable utilization of forest resources in the region, it is necessary to encourage young people to adopt environmentally friendly agricultural practices, to use improved stoves that require less wood and promote cultural services to diversify their sources of income.
},
 year = {2024}
}

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TY  - JOUR
T1  - Local Perceptions of Forest-Based Ecosystem Services in Benin, West Africa

AU  - Robert Sourokou
AU  - Fifanou Gbèlidji Vodouhe
Y1  - 2024/04/29
PY  - 2024
N1  - https://doi.org/10.11648/j.ajaf.20241202.16
DO  - 10.11648/j.ajaf.20241202.16
T2  - American Journal of Agriculture and Forestry
JF  - American Journal of Agriculture and Forestry
JO  - American Journal of Agriculture and Forestry
SP  - 113
EP  - 128
PB  - Science Publishing Group
SN  - 2330-8591
UR  - https://doi.org/10.11648/j.ajaf.20241202.16
AB  - Ecosystem services are closely linked to the daily lives of local communities, particularly those living near forests. The study of the local perceptions of these services is relevant because they vary depending on the community, the study period, and the environment. So beyond the inventorying of ecosystem services, understanding the perceptions of local communities regarding these services remains a necessity. Our study aims to analyze how local communities perceive the ecosystem services provided by forests and the factors that determine these perceptions. We collected data from 232 heads of households across 23 villages bordering the forest and analyzed them using descriptive statistics and ordered Probit analysis. The results showed that provisioning services (such as plant-derived medicines, rafters and planks, livestock feed, crops, and firewood) were the most important, followed by regulating and supporting services (including soil formation, erosion control, and climate regulation) are the most important. Finally, cultural services (encompassing cultural practices, heritage, and spirituality) were perceived as important. However, communities did not perceive the value of ecotourism. Factors influencing these perceptions included gender (male), age (young individuals), occupation in farming, household size, level of education, Bariba ethnicity and income. To ensure the sustainable utilization of forest resources in the region, it is necessary to encourage young people to adopt environmentally friendly agricultural practices, to use improved stoves that require less wood and promote cultural services to diversify their sources of income.

VL  - 12
IS  - 2
ER  -

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Author Information

Robert Sourokou

Laboratory of Economic and Social Dynamics Analysis (LARDES), Faculty of Agronomy, University of Parakou, Parakou, Republic of Benin

Contact Email

http://orcid.org/0009-0009-8280-7740
Fifanou Gbèlidji Vodouhe

Laboratory of Economic and Social Dynamics Analysis (LARDES), Faculty of Agronomy, University of Parakou, Parakou, Republic of Benin

Contact Email

http://orcid.org/0000-0003-4884-1549

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APA Style

Sourokou, R., Vodouhe, F. G. (2024). Local Perceptions of Forest-Based Ecosystem Services in Benin, West Africa. American Journal of Agriculture and Forestry, 12(2), 113-128. https://doi.org/10.11648/j.ajaf.20241202.16

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Sourokou, R.; Vodouhe, F. G. Local Perceptions of Forest-Based Ecosystem Services in Benin, West Africa. Am. J. Agric. For. 2024, 12(2), 113-128. doi: 10.11648/j.ajaf.20241202.16

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AMA Style

Sourokou R, Vodouhe FG. Local Perceptions of Forest-Based Ecosystem Services in Benin, West Africa. Am J Agric For. 2024;12(2):113-128. doi: 10.11648/j.ajaf.20241202.16

Copy | Download

@article{10.11648/j.ajaf.20241202.16,
  author = {Robert Sourokou and Fifanou Gbèlidji Vodouhe},
  title = {Local Perceptions of Forest-Based Ecosystem Services in Benin, West Africa
},
  journal = {American Journal of Agriculture and Forestry},
  volume = {12},
  number = {2},
  pages = {113-128},
  doi = {10.11648/j.ajaf.20241202.16},
  url = {https://doi.org/10.11648/j.ajaf.20241202.16},
  eprint = {https://article.sciencepublishinggroup.com/pdf/10.11648.j.ajaf.20241202.16},
  abstract = {Ecosystem services are closely linked to the daily lives of local communities, particularly those living near forests. The study of the local perceptions of these services is relevant because they vary depending on the community, the study period, and the environment. So beyond the inventorying of ecosystem services, understanding the perceptions of local communities regarding these services remains a necessity. Our study aims to analyze how local communities perceive the ecosystem services provided by forests and the factors that determine these perceptions. We collected data from 232 heads of households across 23 villages bordering the forest and analyzed them using descriptive statistics and ordered Probit analysis. The results showed that provisioning services (such as plant-derived medicines, rafters and planks, livestock feed, crops, and firewood) were the most important, followed by regulating and supporting services (including soil formation, erosion control, and climate regulation) are the most important. Finally, cultural services (encompassing cultural practices, heritage, and spirituality) were perceived as important. However, communities did not perceive the value of ecotourism. Factors influencing these perceptions included gender (male), age (young individuals), occupation in farming, household size, level of education, Bariba ethnicity and income. To ensure the sustainable utilization of forest resources in the region, it is necessary to encourage young people to adopt environmentally friendly agricultural practices, to use improved stoves that require less wood and promote cultural services to diversify their sources of income.
},
 year = {2024}
}

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TY  - JOUR
T1  - Local Perceptions of Forest-Based Ecosystem Services in Benin, West Africa

AU  - Robert Sourokou
AU  - Fifanou Gbèlidji Vodouhe
Y1  - 2024/04/29
PY  - 2024
N1  - https://doi.org/10.11648/j.ajaf.20241202.16
DO  - 10.11648/j.ajaf.20241202.16
T2  - American Journal of Agriculture and Forestry
JF  - American Journal of Agriculture and Forestry
JO  - American Journal of Agriculture and Forestry
SP  - 113
EP  - 128
PB  - Science Publishing Group
SN  - 2330-8591
UR  - https://doi.org/10.11648/j.ajaf.20241202.16
AB  - Ecosystem services are closely linked to the daily lives of local communities, particularly those living near forests. The study of the local perceptions of these services is relevant because they vary depending on the community, the study period, and the environment. So beyond the inventorying of ecosystem services, understanding the perceptions of local communities regarding these services remains a necessity. Our study aims to analyze how local communities perceive the ecosystem services provided by forests and the factors that determine these perceptions. We collected data from 232 heads of households across 23 villages bordering the forest and analyzed them using descriptive statistics and ordered Probit analysis. The results showed that provisioning services (such as plant-derived medicines, rafters and planks, livestock feed, crops, and firewood) were the most important, followed by regulating and supporting services (including soil formation, erosion control, and climate regulation) are the most important. Finally, cultural services (encompassing cultural practices, heritage, and spirituality) were perceived as important. However, communities did not perceive the value of ecotourism. Factors influencing these perceptions included gender (male), age (young individuals), occupation in farming, household size, level of education, Bariba ethnicity and income. To ensure the sustainable utilization of forest resources in the region, it is necessary to encourage young people to adopt environmentally friendly agricultural practices, to use improved stoves that require less wood and promote cultural services to diversify their sources of income.

VL  - 12
IS  - 2
ER  -

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