Spatial variation of sustainable land management practices in the croplands of West Atacora in Benin

Abstract

Sustainable land management is essential to ensure the sustainability of agriculture and the resilience of ecosystems against the risks of climate change. Thus, farmers adopt several sustainable land management strategies to improve their soil fertility and increase their income. This study aims to test the hypothesis that sustainable land management strategies are more practiced in the drier areas of the study area, where the risk of soil degradation and climate change is higher. The study was conducted in the six communes of West Atacora, an area in northern Benin in West Africa. Semi-structured interviews and participant observations were used to generate data on agricultural practices for soil, water, and tree management in cropland areas. Statistical analyses were conducted to test the effect of latitude and altitude on the practice of sustainable management techniques in the study area. The study identified about 30 different techniques that are practiced and that maintain soil productivity, biodiversity, and ecosystem resilience. The sustainable land management techniques practiced were categorized into different types according to the function or role played by the approach. Good management of crop residue and rational use of mineral fertilizers and pesticides are the most commonly used techniques in the integrated soil fertility management category. People living in high latitudes which are the driest areas, tend to adopt more sustainable land management techniques to increase soil fertility. We thus accept the hypothesis that sustainable land management strategies are more practiced in drier areas. The study recommends techniques to be promoted depending on the area of the West Atacora zone.

Keywords: Sustainable land management, agriculture, fertilization techniques, climate change, agricultural practices, Benin