Abstract
ABSTRACT The genus Raphia is among the commonly used and socio‐economically important plants in Africa. While Raphia ruwenzorica species is known to occur in Burundi, eastern Democratic Republic of Congo, Rwanda, and Uganda, its geographical distribution and socioeconomic importance are poorly documented in Burundi. This study maps R. ruwenzorica species from the South‐West region and identifies its socio‐economic importance for the local communities. Different uses and value of the products were investigated using semi‐structured questionnaires on 399 respondents, of which 181 were valid and used for analysis. The number of stands of the species and biophysical properties (diameter and height) were also determined through field inventories. The study site was dominated by adults before flowering compared to the young and adult flowering. The trunks were slender with slightly similar diameter at breast height ranging from 0.42 ± 0.07 to 0.60 ± 0.18 m for all the tree stands. The species distribution ranged from 1300 to 1900 m with predominance between 1600 and 1900 m. R. ruwenzorica plant is used as firewood, construction of fences, manufacture of baskets, beehives, and doors, manufacture of brooms, mats, and exhibition clothes of “Intore” and “Umuyebe” dancers (traditional ceremonial costumes). The value of some products ranged between $2.88 and $57.7 US dollars per year. However, this species seems to be threatened by the expansion of agriculture and hence traditional heritage is disappearing. The quasi absence of this species in the low altitudes would be explained by the expansion and the preference of the population for the culture of palm oil. Conservation measures should be enhanced through on‐farm programs such as tree nurseries.
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Claims 8
Claim · model-written summary
Raphia ruwenzorica distribution ranged from 1300 to 1900 m, with predominance between 1600 and 1900 m.
- Taxon
- Raphia ruwenzoricaRaphia ruwenzoricat0
- Outcome
- species distributione0
- Value
- 1300 to 1900 me0
- Qualifier
- predominance between 1600 and 1900 me0
Verbatim
t0“Raphia ruwenzorica”
e0“The species distribution ranged from 1300 to 1900 m with predominance between 1600 and 1900 m”
Claim · model-written summary
The study site was dominated by adults before flowering compared with young and adult flowering stands.
- Taxon
- Raphia ruwenzoricaRaphia ruwenzoricat0
- Outcome
- dominated by adults before floweringe0
Verbatim
t0“Raphia ruwenzorica”
e0“The study site was dominated by adults before flowering compared to the young and adult flowering”
Claim · model-written summary
Trunk diameter at breast height of the stands ranged from 0.42 to 0.60 m.
- Taxon
- Raphia ruwenzoricaRaphia ruwenzoricat0
- Organ / stage
- trunkse0
- Outcome
- diameter at breast heighte0
- Value
- 0.42 ± 0.07 to 0.60 ± 0.18 me0
Verbatim
t0“Raphia ruwenzorica”
e0“The trunks were slender with slightly similar diameter at breast height ranging from 0.42 ± 0.07 to 0.60 ± 0.18 m for all the tree stands”
Claim · model-written summary
The questionnaire respondents reported R. ruwenzorica uses as firewood, fences, baskets, beehives, doors, brooms, mats and ceremonial costumes.
- Taxon
- R. ruwenzoricaRaphia ruwenzoricae0
- Outcome
- is used as firewoode0
Verbatim
e0“R. ruwenzorica plant is used as firewood, construction of fences, manufacture of baskets, beehives, and doors, manufacture of brooms, mats, and exhibition clothes”
Claim · model-written summary
Some products of R. ruwenzorica were valued at between 2.88 and 57.7 US dollars per year.
- Taxon
- R. ruwenzoricaRaphia ruwenzoricae1
- Outcome
- value of some productse0
- Value
- $2.88 and $57.7 US dollars per yeare0
Verbatim
e0“The value of some products ranged between $2.88 and $57.7 US dollars per year”
e1“R. ruwenzorica plant is used as firewood”
Claim · model-written summary
The quasi absence of R. ruwenzorica at low altitudes would be explained by agricultural expansion and the preference for palm oil culture.
- Taxon
- Raphia ruwenzoricaRaphia ruwenzoricat0
- Outcome
- quasi absence of this species in the low altitudese0
- Qualifier
- expansion and the preference of the population for the culture of palm oile0
Verbatim
t0“Raphia ruwenzorica”
e0“The quasi absence of this species in the low altitudes would be explained by the expansion and the preference of the population for the culture of palm oil”
Claim · model-written summary
The species seems to be threatened by the expansion of agriculture.
- Taxon
- Raphia ruwenzoricaRaphia ruwenzoricat0
- Treatment
- expansion of agriculturee0
- Outcome
- threatenede0
Not reportedDirection
Verbatim
t0“Raphia ruwenzorica”
e0“this species seems to be threatened by the expansion of agriculture”
Claim · model-written summary
Conservation measures should be enhanced through on-farm programs such as tree nurseries.
- Taxon
- Raphia ruwenzoricaRaphia ruwenzoricat0
- Outcome
- Conservation measurese0
- Qualifier
- such as tree nurseriese1
Verbatim
t0“Raphia ruwenzorica”
e0“Conservation measures should be enhanced”
e1“such as tree nurseries”