Keywords :

Innovation and supporting mixed cropping-livestock farms (Burkina Faso)

In sub-Saharan savanna areas, the extension of technical innovations in different production sectors has shown its limits. It cannot, for instance, provide a solution to complex issues such as soil fertility management, crop-livestock integration, or changes in cropping patterns on farms.

In cotton-growing areas in Burkina Faso, CIRAD has developed tools and a support strategy to help farmers change their production systems. This involves assisting farmers in developing innovative cropping systems that are cost-effective, socially acceptable, more efficient in capitalizing on input investments (fertilizer, concentrated livestock feed) and ecological processes (recycling of grassy biomass). This research is based on previously acquired technical results and farmers’ knowledge and know-how. Possibilities of adoption and adaptation of these systems are evaluated jointly with farmers.

In addition to the work carried out with farmers, mixed crop-livestock farm functioning models are developed, which stimulate discussions with farmers on the best and most effective changes that they would like to make on their farms.

These tools enable farmers, as well as extension agents, to assess different production unit changes in terms of income and food security, the soil fertility balance or the forage balance on different livestock production farms. They can, for instance, be used to assess the feasibility and impact of including a forage crop in a rotation or of increasing the number of animals to fatten.

These computer tools will ultimately be implemented by advisors to help farmers in making strategic decisions (choice of activities, design of production areas, planning of technical interventions). This approach has also been developed in partnership with farmers and development organizations in other mixed crop-livestock farming situations in Brazil and Madagascar.