International Journal of Agricultural Science Research Vol. 3(10), pp. 196-202, October 2014 ISSN 2327-3321 ©2014 Academe Research Journals

Full Length Research Paper

Impacts of water and soil conservation strategies on households’ food security in North West of Benin

Egah Janvier^1,2*, Baco Mohamed Nasser¹, AKPONIKPE P. B. Irénikatché¹, Djenontin André Jonas¹, Moutouama Fidèle T.¹, Tossou Rigobert², Fatondji Dougbedji³, Koala Saïdou⁴, Assogba Perceval¹, Kimaro Anthony Anderson⁵ and Sokpon Nestor¹

¹Faculty of Agronomy (FA) of the University of Parakou (UP), Benin.

²Laboratory of Rural Sociology and Extension, Faculty of Agronomic Sciences (FSA),

University of Abomey-Calavi, Benin.

³ICRISAT Sahelian Center, P.O. Box 12404 Niamey, Niger.

⁴Internacional de Agricultura Tropical (CIAT / TSBF), C/o ICRAF, UN Avenue, Nairobi, Kenya.

⁵ICRAF, Tanzania.

*Corresponding author. E-mail: egahjanvier@gmail.com, egahjanvier@yahoo.fr. Tel: (00229) 96 37 17 79.

Accepted 21 July, 2014

Abstract

This study aims at analyzing the impact of water and soil conservation strategies on households’ food security in the North-western part of Benin. It was conducted in the municipalities of Boukombé and Ouaké. Three villages were studied. From random way, 180 producers were investigated. The causes of soil degradation, water and soil conservation strategies, available food supply and food consumption frequency were collected. Degradation factors were analyzed using discourse analysis and prioritized using the Friedman test. Food supply and frequency of consumption were compared between beneficiaries and non-beneficiaries of the projects using the Student t test. Land degradation is caused by socio-cultural factors (overexploitation of lands, trees’ cutting, late bush fires, grazing, agroforestry and monoculture) and natural factors (heavy rains and steep gradient of the soils). The first three factors are respectively the exploitation of land, trees’ cutting and late bush fires practice in both towns. Food reserves before the new crops were not affected by exogenous strategies released by the erosion control projects. But the frequency of food consumption is improved statistically among project beneficiaries than non-beneficiaries. This confirms the theory of Boserup.

Key words: Soil degradation, water and soils conservation strategies, impact, food security, North-west of Benin.