The conservation and preservation of landraces genetic resources are of utmost
importance in securing sustainable food security, especially in the face of
significant global changes. This study aimed to identify and profile custodian
farmers dealing with the preservation of two neglected and underutilized crops,
Bambara groundnut/ (Vigna subterranean) and sorrel (Hibiscus sabdariffa), and
explore their conservation strategies in Burkina Faso. Through gender-
disaggregated focus group discussions, 68 custodian farmers were identified across
11 villages, with a majority being female. Individual semi-structured interviews
were then conducted to gain insights into the seed conservation techniques
employed by these farmers. The study revealed that custodian farmers employed
various techniques, such as utilizing cooking pot, canaries or ash, to conserve
seeds. Seed exchange emerged as a common practice among custodian farmers,
playing a significant role in enriching seed diversity and fostering social cohesion
within local communities. Among the identified custodian farmers, 40 were
conserving Bambara groundnut seeds, while 28 were custodians of sorrel seeds.
They range in age from 30 to 105, and some of them have owned their landrace for
over 80 years. Nineteen (19) landraces of Bambara groundnut and six (06)
landraces of sorrel were identified across the villages. Overall, these findings
underscore the necessity for further research to better comprehend the factors
influencing the distribution and maintenance of traditional landraces as well as the
diversity of conservation methods used. They also emphasize the importance of
developing effective conservation strategies that engage local communities to
ensure global food security.

biodiversity conservation, custodian farmers, crop diversity, orphan crops