Ethnobotany in Burkina Faso (vii)

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The keglega tree (Balanites aegyptiaca / Desert date)* is drought-tolerant and has a date-like fruit that tastes sweet and bitter. It can be eaten as it is, or the oil from its seeds can be used to make soap and ointments. The leaves are also used to feed animals during the dry season.

The keglega tree holds a special interest for research in sustainable landscape management in Sudano-Sahelian West Africa. It is a tree that is native to much of Africa and it is tolerant to both drought and irregularities in rainfall. Different parts of the tree also have many uses, as previously stated. During my fieldwork periods in Burkina Faso (and later, also Ghana), I witnessed many efforts to increase the tree cover in the village landscapes. Trees provide many benefits, from positively influencing the local water cycle to providing shade for animals and people. They can also be harvested or cut down for construction material and other products that the farmers need for themselves and to sell for a cash income. I saw many planted exotic species in the villages, from neem and mango trees to eucalyptus.

Introducing exotic tree species, however, can be problematic for many different reasons, both for the resilience of the trees themselves and for biodiversity in the landscape. The keglega on the other hand is a native species with many uses, and as such has the potential to be very valuable in reforestation efforts. I have colleagues who are involved in a large, long-term research project in Senegal. One of its goals is to better understand the opportunities, benefits and challenges of planting keglega in the agricultural landscape, considering aspects ranging from the purely biological to sociocultural. So, it might look unfriendly, but don’t let the thorns fool you.

*All plant names in this series of posts are the local Moore names, with the scientific and/or English names in brackets.

Photo: A keglega date on its branch & a keglega tree in a village south of Ouahigouya, November 2014. Posted on Instagram January 17, 2021.