Farmers’ Perceptions on Soil Degradation and Their Socioeconomic Determinants in Three Watersheds of Southern Benin

Soil degradation is one of the most serious ecological and environmental problems in south of Benin. Understanding farmers’ perceptions of soil degradation and its causes is important in promoting soil and water conservation practices. The objective was to examine farmers’ perceptions, understanding and interpretation of soil degradation factors and socioeconomic characteristics that influence these perceptions. A survey was conducted in Allada, Aplahoué and Djidja districts, which had respectively the watersheds of Govié, Lokogba and Linsinlin in southern Benin. The study was based on the data obtained from 427 sample households heads using pre-tested structured interview schedule. The data were analyzed using simple descriptive statistics and frequencies with the chi-square test. The finding of the study shows that almost all farmers of the study area had good perception on the causes, indicators and problems of soil degradation. Farmers explained soil degradation as soil fertility depletion and soil erosion (soil loss). The main causes of soil erosion perceived by farmers were slope, runoff, rain intensity and duration. According to the farmers, the soil fertility depletion is mainly caused by deforestation, bushfires, continuous cropping, soil type and animal trampling. Several socioeconomic characteristics influence significantly the farmers’ perceptions as gender, literacy, agricultural extension and/or membership of farmers’ organization. The farmers’ perceptions vary significantly according to cropping systems, therefore, from village to village, with their socioeconomic determinants. Keywords: Farmers’ perceptions, soil degradation, soil erosion, soil fertility decline, socioeconomic determinants, southern Benin

CARACTERISATION PERCEPTIVE DES VARIETES HYBRIDES CHINOISES DU MAÏS : LA SÉLECTIVITÉ SENSORIELLE EST-ELLE DÉTERMINANTE AU BÉNIN ?

Agricultural researches usually advocate high yielding competitive crop varieties in order to supply foodstuff to the increasing population. However, this is not to care for the social dimension of adoption in the technology transfer process. That is why the present paper acknowledges actors like producers, food processors, marketers and others, whose perception with respect to growing, harvesting and processing stages of maize, to be included in the perceptive evaluation of Chinese hybrid varieties at the research centers. Four new varieties of maize are promoted: T2 (Guidan 162), T3 (Jinguyuan 688), T4 (Jinyu No.8) and T5 (Xianyu 335). Actors compare new Chinese varieties of maize to their traditional ones. On the basis of a comparative appraisal index (CAI), ie. a new variety is likely to be adopted if the differences of score between its descriptors and those of the traditional variety are greater than zero. In terms of results, T2 and T4 are the most likely to be adopted in the South and the Center. In the North, on the contrary, T5 is substituted to T4. Because of a low performance on various descriptors, T3 is unlikely to be adopted. While in the south and the center of Benin, sensorial descriptors remain decisive in the adoption profile, agromorphological and harvest stage descriptors are more likely to affect adoption in the North. Based on the increasing economic importance of maize, actors’ perception in the North significantly matters in the process of adoption of new varieties

CHARACTERIZATION OF THE PEANUT PRODUCTION SYSTEMS IN THEIR MAIN AGROECOLOGICAL REGIONS IN BENIN

The aim of the present study was to characterize the peanut production systems in two agro-ecological zones (AEZ) in order to pave the ways for the improvement of existing Agriculture-Farming Integrated Productivity Systems of Benin. Thus, 203 peanut producers were investigated in four rural communes in the AEZ III and AEZ V of Benin. The data collected relate to socioeconomic characteristics of producers, farming management practices, utilization of the peanuts’ fans, market prices of peanut, input quantities and market prices, revenues for the crop production year 2013-2014, constraints on peanut production and farming methods. The results indicate that male producers are mostly producing peanut (69.7 %). The producers of the Center of Benin are significantly more experienced (17.76±0.72) than those of the North (14.33±0.77). Our observations show that two varieties are grown of which one is improved (Carder: 2087.68 ± 154.06 kg/ha) and another is local (Moto: 1309.38 ± 119.25 kg/ha). No significant difference (P > 0.05) exists between the two areas of production in relation to the yields recorded for the peanuts production in the year 2013- 2014. The major production constraints listed by the majority of producers (85 %) are the poor quality of seed, the lack of specific inputs and labor, the climatic hazards, mainly the pockets of drought, the poor distribution of rainfall and the excessive temperatures. In the two surveyed production areas, the majority of peanut producers (60 %) do not feed animals neither with dead leaves nor with food supplementation or fodder

Determinants of crop-livestock integration by small farmers in Benin

Despite the numerous work conducted on integrated crop-livestock systems, very little is known about factors determining farmers’ trend to integrate. Our study aimed at a socioeconomic characterization of endogenous crop-livestock integration in Benin and identification of determinants of farmers’ decision to use these practices. Two hundred and forty farmers were surveyed in three agro- ecological regions randomly selected. A semi-structured questionnaire was used to collect information on farmer’s characteristics, production factors and agriculture and breeding by-products valorization practices. On the basis of main links between both productions, three integration levels (no integration, NI: 36%; partial integration, PI: 55%; total integration, TI: 9%) were identified and characterized according to socioeconomic characteristics of farmers. Then the multinomial logistic regression technique was used to predict the integration level of a given farmer in function of its socioeconomic characteristics. The three integration levels differ significantly (p<0.001) according to variables such as membership in farmers’ association, educational level, weight of agricultural experience, farming equipment and size of herds. The decision by a farmer to choose the total integration type significantly depends (p <0.001) on the size of his cattle herd, his membership in farmers’ association, the weight of his agricultural experience and his equipment value. Thus, integration is a practice used by small farmers with good experience in agriculture. Strategies for improving integration of cropping and breeding are to motivated farmers for cattle keeping and membership in an association.© 2015 International Formulae Group. All rights reserved.Keywords: Animal feeding, integrated soil fertility management, resilience, sustainabilit

CARACTERISATION PERCEPTIVE DES VARIETES HYBRIDES CHINOISES DU MAÏS : LA SÉLECTIVITÉ SENSORIELLE EST-ELLE DÉTERMINANTE AU BÉNIN ?

Agricultural researches usually advocate high yielding competitive crop varieties in order to supply foodstuff to the increasing population. However, this is not to care for the social dimension of adoption in the technology transfer process. That is why the present paper acknowledges actors like producers, food processors, marketers and others, whose perception with respect to growing, harvesting and processing stages of maize, to be included in the perceptive evaluation of Chinese hybrid varieties at the research centers. Four new varieties of maize are promoted: T2 (Guidan 162), T3 (Jinguyuan 688), T4 (Jinyu No.8) and T5 (Xianyu 335). Actors compare new Chinese varieties of maize to their traditional ones. On the basis of a comparative appraisal index (CAI), ie. a new variety is likely to be adopted if the differences of score between its descriptors and those of the traditional variety are greater than zero. In terms of results, T2 and T4 are the most likely to be adopted in the South and the Center. In the North, on the contrary, T5 is substituted to T4. Because of a low performance on various descriptors, T3 is unlikely to be adopted. While in the south and the center of Benin, sensorial descriptors remain decisive in the adoption profile, agromorphological and harvest stage descriptors are more likely to affect adoption in the North. Based on the increasing economic importance of maize, actors’ perception in the North significantly matters in the process of adoption of new varieties

Perceptions et stratégies d’adaptation aux changements climatiques : le cas des communes d’Adjohoun et de Dangbo au Sud-Est Bénin

La présente étude met en exergue la variable humaine, responsable des perturbations climatiques suite aux actions anthropiques. Elle a été conduite dans deux communes de la vallée de l’Ouémé, compte tenu de leurs nombreuses potentialités hydro‑agricoles et de leur vulnérabilité aux intenses activités agricoles. La méthodologie de recherche comprend : une étude exploratoire permettant de choisir les villages sur la base de critères tels que la toposéquence et l’importance des activités agricoles, une phase d’enquêtes approfondies avec l’administration de questionnaires structurés auprès de 70 producteurs, des entretiens semi-structurés, informels individuels et de groupes, des transects participatifs et une triangulation de sources d’informations complémentaires. Les analyses de perceptions et stratégies d’adaptation ont été faites avec les populations et SAS a été utilisé pour l’analyse en composantes principales. Les résultats révèlent que les producteurs perçoivent et vivent les effets des changements climatiques avec pour conséquences de profonds bouleversements socio-économiques ces quinze dernières années. Ces bouleversements concernent les précipitations caractérisées par des séquences d’inondation, de sècheresse prolongée, de fortes températures et une fréquence élevée des vents violents. Les causes de ces changements sont attribuées aux bouleversements des normes sociales et les petits producteurs sont les plus vulnérables. Diverses stratégies développées comprennent l’adoption de variétés à cycles plus courts, la mise en valeur de différentes unités de paysage, l’intensification de l’utilisation des engrais chimiques, la diversification des sources de revenus.Perceptions and strategies of adaptation to climate changes : the cases of Adjohoun and Dangbo districts in South-East BeninThis study focuses on human variable as responsible for climate change. It was carried out in two districts of Ouémé Valley based on its numerous hydro-agricultural potentialities and their vulnerability to intensified agricultural activities. The research methodology includes an exploratory study which enabled to choose villages based on criteria such as toposequence, and the importance of agricultural activities ; in-depth survey with the administration of a structured questionnaire to 70 small-scale individual farmers ; semi structured, informal individual and focus group interviews, participatory transect walks and triangulation of complementary information sources. The analysis of perceptions and adaptation strategies were jointly made with interviewed farmers and SAS was used to analyse main components. The results revealed that farmers perceived and acknowledged climate change effects, which brought about serious socio-economic upheavals the last fifteen years. These upheavals relate to erratic precipitations characterized with sequences of flooding, lengthened drought, higher temperature and increased frequency of violent wind. The causes of this climate change were attributed to the disruption of social norms and values and small-scale farmers are the most vulnerable. Various developed strategies include : use of extra early maturing varieties, cultivation of different toposequences, application of additional chemical fertilisers, diversification sources of income