It has a wide range of uses due to its medicinal properties, edible fruit (eaten raw, cooked, or made into flour with many uses of its own) and hardwood, which is used as fuel.

[5] Detarium microcarpum occurs naturally in the drier regions of West and Central Africa (Benin, Cameroon, Central African Republic, Chad, Gambia, Ghana, Guinea, Guinea Bissau, Côte d'Ivoire, Mali, Niger, Nigeria, Senegal, Sudan and Togo).

[6] Many different vernacular names exist for this species, including the English, sweet dattock or tallow tree, and the French, dankh or petit détar, as well as Abu-laili (in Sudan) or Tamba Dala (in Mali).

[8] This species is mainly found on shallow, stony and lateritic soils, often on hills, as well as in regions with an annual rainfall of 600–1000 mm.

[13] Natural germination is hampered by bush fires and dry spells[14] posing a threat to poor farmers.

Extensive fruit collection, uncontrolled tree cutting, overgrazing and bushfires pose a threat to the species.

[18] Germplasm collections for D. microcarpum are held at the Institut d'Economie Rurale (IER) in Mali and at the Centre National des Semences Forestieres (CNSF) in Burkina Faso.

[22] The seed flour is a traditional emulsifying, flavouring and thickening agent used to prepare cakes, bread, couscous, baby food and local beer.

[24] Medicinal properties are in the roots, stems, bark, leaves and fruits to treat ailments including tuberculosis, meningitis and diarrhea.

[27] Detarium microcarpum has several other uses for rural communities, leaves being used to thatch roofs, seeds dried and made into necklaces or are ground and used as a fragrance (considered to have an aphrodisiac effect) and mosquito repellent prepared from the roots.

[40] Additionally, regulation is needed for exploitation of wood, controlling fires, reducing fuel-wood demand and encouraging re-forestation.