Yams are the most important elements in the Baoul+ food crop system.
There are several species (Table 2) and numerous locally developed cultivars.
In the yam hills seeds of vegetables species such as ladyfinger (okra) and
eggplant are sown, followed by tannia. As soon as the food crops are in the
field, invariably attention is given to the future of the field: Cacao is either
sown or planted as small seedlings.
Table 3 gives the average crop population density for the fields in Ta~ and
Tiassal6. It shows that the average total crop species population density in
Tai is much lower (c. 20%) than in the fields of Tiassal+. The reason is that
in Tiassal6 plantain plays an important role. According to farmers' spokesmen
in Tai soil fertility is generally insufficient to successfully grow plantain,
and soil analysis data confirm this view; Table 4. Data show that soils
sampled in Tai have lower levels of cations and a lower pH and base
saturation, indicating more intensive leaching.
In Ta~ farmers compensate for the absence of plantain by planting higher
numbers of tannia so to secure sufficient stocks of staple all year round. This
strategy is illustrated in Table 3.
Table 3 also shows the dominant presence of okra which provides the
main ingredient for sauces that accompany staples. Baoul6 farmers both in
Tai and in Tiassal6 have a tendency to plant cacao in dense stands, about
3 to 4 times the recommended plant density of 1,300 trees ha-i. Normally,
stands are not systematically thinned.
Land and labour
Table 5 shows the division of labour in the agricultural community of the
Baoul6. As usual felling of trees and a major part of the soil preparation (in