Farmers’ preferences for woody plant species and their indicative biomass carbon stocks in silvopastoral systems of Benin (West Africa)

Abstract

Introduction Agroforestry is increasingly promoted in cattle production systems in West Africa; however, empirical evidence linking farmers’ woody plant species preferences with indicative biomass carbon stocks remains limited. Understanding these relationships is important for designing agroforestry interventions that respond to farmers’ production needs while accounting for environmental co-benefits. Methods The study was conducted in Benin’s dry tropical zone (DTZ) and subhumid tropical zone (STZ). Data were collected through 18 focus group discussions, interviews with 338 cattle farmers, and inventories of woody plant species in 30 agroforestry plots of 1,000 m 2 each. Farmers assessed woody plant species using eight selection criteria, and species were ranked based on mean ordinal scores. Biomass carbon stocks were estimated at the tree level to provide indicative comparisons among preferred species. Results and discussion Across both zones, feed value was consistently ranked as the most important selection criterion. Leucaena leucocephala was the most preferred species in both DTZ and STZ, followed by Khaya senegalensis , reflecting farmers’ emphasis on fodder provision and adaptability rather than environmental functions. Estimated biomass carbon stocks varied significantly ( p < 0.05) among species, with comparable values for Leucaena leucocephala (46.4 ± 5.9 kg C tree −1 ) and Khaya senegalensis (61.8 ± 10.4 kg C tree −1 ), and substantially higher stocks for Afzelia africana (112.5 ± 18.9 kg C tree −1 ). These findings suggest that agroforestry interventions in cattle production systems should prioritize farmer-preferred species to ensure adoption, while strategically incorporating complementary woody plant species with higher carbon storage potential to enhance environmental co-benefits without compromising livestock productivity.