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Vitellaria paradoxa (shea tree) is one of the dominant tree species of agroforestry parklands in the savanna regions of West Africa. Recently, authors reported that the Shea sector is growing and can contribute to the growth of the national economies of the countries in which it grows and that the market is expanding in Europe and South America yielding to an important market in the European Union, Canada, Japan for cosmetics and chocolate industries. Many research works, focused on various aspects the species, have been undertaken. The added outcome of this document is that it goes beyond the aspects targeted by previous studies in approaching the influence of farmers' practices but also and particularly the agronomical performance which addresses the two main products (butter and pulp) of the species in describing morphological characteristics for identifying performant trees for butter or pulp. This outcome is very important for both, farmers, development technicians and scientists as it can be used as a basis in a strategy for improving vegetal material of shea tree parklands facing actually climatic, anthropic and sanitary constraints.
About the author
Dr Bokary Allaye KELLY is forest researcher of the Programme Ressources Forestières of Institut d'Economie Rurale (IER) Mali. Holding a doctorate in Biology, Dr Kelly has an Msc in biometry and carried out important research work on forest local trees species, on natural forest dynamic and management and on natural regeneration dynamic.
