Edible fungi consumed by the Lamba and Bemba people of Haut-Katanga (DR Congo)

The objective of this work is to establish a list of species of edible fungi consumed by the Lamba and Bemba people of Haut-Katanga (DR Congo). This study contributes to the valorization of edible fungi gathered in the miombo woodlands of Haut-Katanga. A survey was conducted among Lamba and Bemba people of the peri-urban area of Lubumbashi. The first author conducted structured and semi-structured surveys among 331 people, mostly women aged 30-50. The results show the existence of thirty-eight edible species belonging to 9 genera and 8 families. The majority is ectomycorrhizal (66%) followed by Termitomyces (21%), while only a few are saprotrophic (13%). Lamba and Bemba people consume all taxa. Twenty-three local names have been recorded in their respective languages, i.e., Kilamba and Kibemba, two closely related Bantu languages belonging to the family’s Eastern clade. The Lamba and Bemba do not consume species of the genera Russula (Russulaceae) and Boletus (Boletaceae). We succeeded in reconstructing the conceptualization underlying the creation of several Kibemba and Kilamba mushroom names. Popular and scientific taxonomies rarely overlap: one and the same species may have different names in Kilamba and Kibemba, while one and the same name in Kilamba and/or Kibemba is often used for several congeneric species. Species considered toxic and not consumed do not have a Kilamba or Kibemba name of their own. Instead, they are collectively referred to by a term fyana fya bene, literally meaning “big (dangerous) children of them” and signaling that local consumers reject those species

Diversité et usages des macromycètes de la Réserve de Biosphère de Luki (Kongo Central /République démocratique du Congo)

Les produits forestiers non ligneux dont les macro-champignons constituent une source importante des aliments dans les régions forestières du monde. Les études ont été conduites à plusieurs endroits du pays sur les champignons comestibles, ceux de la Réserve de Biosphère de Luki n’ont à ce jour fait l’objet d’aucune recherche. L’objectif global de la présente étude était de dresser la liste des macromycètes ainsi que leurs usages par les communautés riveraines de la Réserve de Biosphère de Luki. Deux transects linéaires de 5 000m × 10m et de 8 000m × 10m traversant les formations végétales retenues ont servi d’unités d’échantillonnage pour l’inventaire dans trois faciès de la forêt tropicale: forêt mature, forêt secondaire et jachère. Des enquêtes ethnomycologiques semi-structurées ont été conduites auprès de 156 personnes choisies de manière aléatoire dans les villages Mangala, Lemba, Tsumba Kituti, Kisavu, Kiobo, Kimbuya, Camp INERA-Luki et Manterne riverains de la Réserve de Biosphère de Luki. Au total, 33 espèces des macromycètes ont été inventoriées parmi lesquelles 30 espèces utilisées pour des fins alimentaires, 4 espèces utilisées pour des fins alimentaires et médicinales, 2 espèces utilisées exclusivement pour des fins médicinales et 2 espèces sans usage. Les champignons comestibles sont dominés par les saprotrophes de la famille de Pleurotaceae et les ectomycorrhiziens de la famille de Hydnaceae. Par ailleurs, les champignons à usage médicinal sont dominés par la famille de Ganodermataceae ; les champignons qui combinent les usages à la fois alimentaire et médicinal appartiennent aux familles de Schizophyllaceae, Lyophyllaceae et Auriculariaceae. De manière globale, les populations riveraines de la Réserve de Biosphère de Luki connaissent les macromycètes à usage alimentaire et médicinal. Cette étude apporte des informations nécessaires à prendre en compte pour un programme de domestication des champignons de la réserve de biosphère de Luki afin de faire face à l’insécurité alimentaire et d’adaptation au changement climatique dans la réserve de biosphère de Luki et ses environs.Non-timber forest products including macro-fungi are an important source of food in forest regions of the world. Studies on edible fungi have been done in several places of the country, but no research has been conducted in the Luki Biosphere Reserve to date. The overall objective was to draw up a preliminary list of macromycetes and their uses by the communities living in the Luki Biosphere Reserve. Two linear transects of 5000m × 10m and 8000m × 10m crossing the selected plant formations served as sampling units for the inventory in three facies of the tropical forest: mature forest, secondary forest and fallow. Semi-structured ethnomycological surveys were conducted among 156 people chosen at random in the Mangala, Lemba, Tsumba Kituti, Kisavu, Kiobo, Kimbuya, Camp INERA-Luki and Manterne villages bordering the Luki Biosphere Reserve. In total, 33 species of macromycetes were inventoried, including 30 species used for food purposes, 3 species used for food and medicinal purposes, 2 species used exclusively for medicinal purposes and 2 species without use. Edible fungi are dominated by saprotrophs of the Pleurotaceae family and ectomycorrhizals of the Hydnaceae family. On the other hand, fungi for medicinal use are dominated by the Ganodermataceae family; mushrooms that combine both food and medicinal uses belong to the families of Schizophyllaceae, Lyophyllaceae and Auriculariaceae. Overall, the local populations of the Luki Biosphere Reserve are familiar with macromycetes for food and medicinal use. This study provides necessary information to take into account for a mushroom domestication program in the Luki biosphere reserve in order to cope with food insecurity and the effects of climate change already perceptible in this part of the country

Towards an Inclusive Approach to Forest Management: Highlight of the Perception and Participation of Local Communities in the Management of miombo Woodlands around Lubumbashi (Haut-Katanga, D.R. Congo)

peer reviewedThe misappropriation of sustainable forest programs by local communities and the under-utilization of their knowledge are major impediments to the mitigation of deforestation. Within this context, participation has become a principle used in almost all interventions. It is important to evaluate the practices in this area to ensure better involvement of local communities. This survey examined the perception and participation of local communities in the management of miombo woodlands, based on semi-structured questionnaire surveys involving 945 households in 5 villages in the Lubumbashi rural area. The results reveal that local communities perceive soil fertility loss and deforestation as major environmental challenges in their area. This perception remains largely influenced by their socio-demographic factors such as respondents’ age, seniority in the villages, and level of education. To mitigate deforestation, the rare actions of provincial public services and non-governmental organizations are focused on the sustainable exploitation of miombo woodlands through the development of simple management plans, reforestation, and forest control. These activities are sparse and poorly inclusive of scientific findings and the priorities of local communities. These justify poor community participation, particularly in the actions of provincial public services. For a better appropriation of sustainable forest management plans and to reinforce miombo woodlands’ resilience to anthropogenic pressures, based on these findings, we recommend a concerted and inclusive approach to forest planning