ANALYSIS OF THE DATE PALM (PHOENIX DACTILIFERA) PRODUCTION SYSTEM IN THE KAWAR OASES (NORTHEAST NIGER)

The Kawar oasis system constitutes a unique ecosystemlocatedbetween the Tenere erg and the Bilma erg. The oasesmainlyoccupied by date palms are spread out to the east, along the sandstonecliff, of Tertiaryage. The aim of thisstudyis to take stock of the date palm (Phoenix dactylifera L) production system in the Kawar oases. Four municipalities (Dirkou, Bilma, Fachi and Djado) served as study areas. Focus groups and direct observations made it possible to collect data related to the date palm production system. The resultsobtained show that the date palm production system in the Kawar oasesis of the traditional type fromplanting the suckers untilharvest. This speciesplays a key role in the economy of this area. However, itscurrent system does not ensure production in bothquantity and quality. Added to this are the environmental and socio-economicconstraintswhichhamper the sustainable production of dates in the Kawar oases. Therefore, itisnecessary to think about improvingthis system for better production of dates in all the oases of Kawar.