Promoting food security through protection and rehabilitation of degraded soils

Context

Agriculture in Burkina Faso employs about 86 per cent of the active population and offers significant potential for economic development and poverty reduction among rural populations. However, it faces the accelerated degradation of natural resources, in particular soil. A growing population combined with the effects of climate change puts severe pressure on soil and has a strong impact on agricultural production. The Hauts-Bassins region where staple crops as maize and niébé are produced, has an important role to play in ensuring food security and reducing poverty through improving soil health.  

Objective

Soil quality in Burkina Faso’s Hauts-Bassins region is being actively improved to secure long-term food security for the local population.

Approach

Together with partners, the state has been carrying out actions to restore, conserve and recover land for several decades. One of the partner projects is ProSoil. It works in four fields of action that together will increase soil fertility and improve resilience to climate change. These are:

• Field 1: integrating agroecological measures into farming systems and communal planning; the measures comprise of the three components “water and soil conservation”, “soil fertility improvement” and “agroforestry”.
• Field 2: improving the work of local land authorities.
• Field 3: consolidating the political and institutional basis for the protection and rehabilitation of soil and rural land in Burkina Faso.
• Field 4: sharing experiences and knowledge between the different actors.

Last update: August 2023