A critical review on the Ficus genus in Africa: current knowledge and perspectives for its sustainable management

Ficus is a multi-purpose pan-tropical genus of woody plants proven to be keystone resources for populations and animals. In Africa, the genus is well-represented, but the lack of summed-up information prevents its valorization and implementation of conservation strategies. This study aims to summarize documented knowledge on the Ficus genus in Africa and propose perspectives for future research focusing on the aforementioned issues. 215 publications published between 1980 and 2023 were obtained from electronic databases and general web searches. They were critically assessed for information on its geographical distribution, diversity, threats and uses. The genus Ficus comprises 116 species in Africa. The highest diversities were found in the tropical zone countries, mainly in Cameroon, Congo, Central Africa Republic, Gabon, and Uganda. Ficus species are used mostly as medicine and food. The most used species in medicine were F . carica, F. exasperata, F. sur, F. sycomorus , and F. thonningii. For food, the most utilized species were F. carica , F. platyphylla, F. sur, F. sycomorus , and F. thonningii . Ficus sycomorus was the most useful species according to the relative importance, respectively followed by F. exasperata , F. sur , F. thonningii , and F. platyphylla. Habitat loss driven by agricultural practices is probably the biggest threat to the genus Ficus in Africa, to which is added unsustainable practices such as overexploitation and cutting of vital organs for medicine. Moreover, 14 African F. species are on the list of threatened species in the red list of IUCN. Despite these threats, no conservation strategy is taken towards the genus Ficus in Africa. It becomes urgent to take conservation measures to ensure the long-term viability of this keystone genus. That would require an integrated and collaborative approach involving both local communities and environmental management authorities.