Ethnobotanical knowledge of wild food plants in Khenifra, a province in the Middle Atlas region of Morocco

The protection of plant food resources contributes to safeguarding their nutritional value, the culinary heritage as well as the sustainability of the traditional food that uses them. To contribute to the knowledge of wild edible plants (WEPs) used in traditional diet among the population of 7 communes in Khenifra province in a mountainous region of Morocco, an ethnobotanical survey was conducted on 206 local adult respondents, of both sexes, in rural (70%) and urban (30%) areas using a questionnaire and focus groups. Information on sociodemography, knowledge of WEPs and their current and past indigenous food and medicinal uses, culinary knowledge, recipes for their preparation as well as their toxic effects were collected.

The results show a great food variety of more than 90 WEPs belonging to 40 families and that the local population still often uses different WEPs on a daily basis as food, in therapy or other uses in the study area. Over 50 traditional recipes were recorded, consumed presently and in the past with recipes consumed during times of food shortage. The study also reports that the local population has ethnobotanical information and knowledge of traditional cooking techniques allowing the safe use of WEPs. Dietary diversity linked to knowledge of biodiversity, traditions and culinary culture to use WEPs is observed in the study population. However, this knowledge is in decline, especially among younger generations, which draws attention to the importance of documenting and safeguarding this wealth.