Rosaine N. Yegbemey

Novel participatory indicators of sustainability reveal weaknesses of maize cropping in Benin

Agricultural sustainability is actually measured based on indicators. The choice of indicators is made by scientists alone and is rarely explained. Therefore, the sustainability assessment may be biased because it does not take into account the field knowledge of farmers and agricultural extension officers. Here, we used a novel method using participatory indicators in four steps: (1) group discussions with stakeholders, (2) a survey questionnaire, (3) a household survey, and (4) an estimation of sustainability level. We applied this method to Benin, West Africa, and defined 17 indicators. Some indicators were similar to known indicators, whereas other indicators measured the environmental and social dimensions of sustainability. The method was applied to a case study of maize farming. We found values of 41 for economic sustainability, 55 for environmental sustainability, and 40 for social sustainability. This finding evidences some weaknesses of maize farming in northern Benin because the sustainability threshold value is 50.

Does Awareness Through Learning About Climate Change Enhance Farmers’ Perception of and Adaptation to Climate Uncertainty?

Finding out ways to support farmers’ decision to adapt to climate change is a challenge for agricultural policy. Hypothesizing that awareness through learning about climate change enhances farmers’ perception of and adaptation to climatic uncertainty, this paper gives an empirical evidence of the relationships between learning about climate change and farmers’ perception of, and adaptation to new climate conditions. The study was conducted in northern Benin by a survey method on 336 farmers. Talking about climate change, farmers mainly perceive it based on observed changes in their daily life environment, implying from own experience. About 56 % of the farmers were also aware through learning about climate change and the most predominant vectors of climate change information (although indigenous knowledge) are neighbour farmers or farmers associations and extension services. Using the Heckman probit model built on the assumption that the perception of is a precondition for the adaptation to, the results highlighted that the main driving forces of farmers’ decision to adapt to climate change are level of education and organisation membership. On the other hand, the main determinants of farmers’ perception are gender, contact with extension and awareness of climate change trends. Subsequently, enhancing farmers’ awareness through learning about the predicted trends of climate change is likely to strengthen their perception of and furthermore encourage their adaptation to.

Land Use Change and Food Security: Has Introduction of Rice Production in Cotton Zone in Benin Met Optimal Allocation of Resources by Households?

Land use is one of the major source of soil fertility decline and food insecurity. In Benin where cotton is the main cash crop, the potential of cultivating rice exists even in cotton cultivation zone. Rice is seen nowadays as a staple food and the national production is insufficient to meet national consumption. Change in land use becomes obvious and the farmers cultivate several crops during the agricultural campaign which enter in competition in terms of resources use. This study has investigated the allocation of resources to different crops in cotton zone using primary data collected from a sample of 71 farmers randomly selected in two villages in the Northern region of Benin (West Africa). The model built showed that rice is the most profitable crop while cotton gross margin is low. It reduces then the area of cotton for about 56 %. It allows the production of maize, sorghum, peanut and the soy bean for ensuring the food availability of the household whereas rice and the bean have an economic importance. It gives a possibility to farmers to cultivate the same amount of land with less amount of labour force and gain 18 % more income than previously. From these results the agricultural policy need to be orientated to the training of farmers on practices and on the best way to allocate resources in order to achieve a good production. The arrangement of inland valley needs to be done to allow farmers to have more areas of inland valley for rice cultivation.

Sustainability analysis of observed climate change adaptation strategies in maize farming in Benin, West Africa

The aim of this article was to analyse possible relationships between observed climate change adaptations as developed by farmers and the sustainability level of their production systems. The sustainability levels were measured through a participatory indicators-based approach. A tri-variate Tobit regression model including the observed climate change adaptations as explanatory variables was specified to analyse the main drivers of the measured sustainability levels. Data collection was conducted by survey methods on 336 maize producers randomly sampled and interviewed based on a questionnaire in North Benin. The results highlighted that farmers’ socio-economic characteristics such as contact with extension services, organization membership, access to credit, farm size and observed climate change adaptations such as on-farm diversification, land use changes and other adaptations were found to be the major driving forces underlying the sustainability level of maize farming systems. Among the observed climate change adaptations, on-farm diversification and land use change strategies were found to be sustainable options, whereas other adaptations such as change of activity (e.g. on-farm to off-farm activity), migration to another agro-ecological zone, prayers and access to credit appeared to be unsustainable options.

Economic valuation of maize farming profitability under climate change adaptation in Benin, West Africa

The major attempt of this paper is to analyse the profitability of maize farming in relation with observed climate change adaptation strategies. The study was conducted in Benin by a survey method on 336 maize producers. About 91% of the respondents undertook at least one adaptation strategy towards climate change. The observed strategies were categorised in four groups, including crop diversification, farming practices and calendar adjustment, land use strategies, and other adaptations (e.g. prayers, credit, and migration). Maize farming in the study zone was found to be profitable. Yet, the economic performances recorded by farmers were correlated with some of the climate change adaptation strategies. Crop diversification strategy was found as the most interesting adaptation to improve the farm economic profitability. Hence, research institutes and policy makers should work for providing crop varieties better adapted to climate change, especially to drier conditions, as to facilitate crop diversification behaviour among farmers.