The adoption of soil conservation practices in Burkina Faso

Basga E. Dialla

Building soil conservation practices on a base of indigenous knowledge greatly increases the rate at which they are adopted by farmers in Burkina Faso. Indigenous soil conservation practices are ecologically sound and need to be taken into account when efforts are made to introduce modern agricultural techniques. This article provides an example of how soil conservation practices built upon local systems for conserving resources were preferred by small-scale farmers over newly introduced conservation techniques.

In Burkina Faso, soil erosion has always been a great concern, and the situation is worsening in the northern part of the country. Field studies have also revealed that erosion and desertification are spreading on the central plateau (Roose, 1988; Roose and Piot, 1984; Roose and Sarrailh, 1989-1990; Marchal, 1986; Stoop, 1987; Harrison, 1987).

Soil degradation caused by erosion was perceived by the national government as early as the end of the 1950s. However, attempts at soil conservation mounted by the European Development Fund in the 1960s met with limited success. This was a consequence of the target population's lack of involvement in building the bunds. Follow-up studies revealed that the bunds were not maintained at all, and disintegrated within two or three years (Harrison, 1987). Attempts to tackle the erosion problem in the 1980s also failed. New soil conservation techniques introduced by the extension services were not fully implemented by farmers.

This article provides examples of how indigenous as well as newly introduced soil conservation practices**1 are implemented by Mossi farmers**2 in Burkina Faso. Data**3 were collected in April and May of 1991, in Yatenga Province. A total of 120 male heads of household were interviewed, all of them small-scale farmers from two selected villages (Ranawa and Aorema) in the Yatenga Province. This research is meant to supplement other studies of indigenous agricultural knowledge as offering sustainable approaches to agriculture and rural development (Chambers, 1983; Compton, 1989; Fujisaka, 1991; Groenfeldt, 1991; Richards, 1985; Warren, 1989; Warren and Cashman, 1988).

Soil conservation practices
Eight soil conservation practices used by local farmers and promoted by extension services were studied. These practices are:

• Application of manure: adding organic waste, generally from animals, to the soil.
• Microcatchment: building dirt terraces in the fields in order to slow water runoff. Three types are found: contour microcatchment, 'V'-microcatchment and half-moon microcatchment.
• Stone lining: placing rows of stones either around or across the fields, following the curvature of the land. Stone lining slows water runoff and allows infiltration.
• Mulching: leaving crop residues in the field and bringing in foliage and other organic materials from elsewhere.
• Fallow: letting the cultivated land rest for a certain period before using it again.
• Living hedges: planting shrubs or small trees around fields in order to keep residues in place.
• Strips of vegetation: preserving strips of vegetation about one meter wide which follow the curvature of the land. The interval between two strips depends on the slope, but is usually ten meters. Strips of vegetation can be used in combination with stone lining.
• Reforestation: planting trees on steep slopes.

1. which of the eight soil conservation practices they used before receiving assistance from the extension services; and
2. any new practices that the extension services proposed to them.

The use of soil conservation techniques
In Ranawa, 51 farmers (85%) have used four to six soil conservation techniques; seven farmers (11.7%) have used seven or eight of the practices; and two farmers (3.3%) have used only two soil conservation practices. In Aorema, 47 farmers (78.3%) have used between four and six conservation practices, while no one has adopted seven or eight. Thirteen farmers (21.7%) have used fewer than four soil conservation practices. In conclusion, we can say that farmers in Ranawa have adopted more soil conservation practices than farmers in Aorema.

Farmers in Ranawa have made more use of traditional soil conservation practices than farmers in Aorema. Fifty-seven farmers in Ranawa (95%) have used three or four indigenous conservation techniques, while 35 (58.3%) have used all four. In Aorema, 38 respondents (63.4%) have used three or four indigenous techniques. In this group, seven farmers (11.7%) have used all four.

Of the indigenous soil conservation practices, manuring and stone lining were used most. The level of utilization of these two practices is nearly the same in the two rural communities: between 96.7% and 100%.

The figures show that the Mossi farmers are making little use of the four new soil conservation techniques. In each village, only ten farmers (16.7%) have adopted three or four of these conservation practices. Most of the farmers (76.6% and 75%) have adopted only one or two. In this respect, there is not much difference between the two villages.

Of the newly introduced soil conservation practices, strips of vegetation and reforestation have been used most. The level of utilization for reforestation is 85% and 63.3%, and for strips of vegetation 73.3% and 81.7%.

A comparison of the use of the two types of practices indicates that the Mossi farmers much prefer their indigenous soil conservation practices over the newly introduced ones. It is clear that farmers trust the practices they have used for years. It is also evident that farmers are more likely to adopt techniques familiar to them, which are seen as less risky. New techniques require an investment of resources and time, and may not be worth it. The negative correlation between risk--as a perceived characteristic of innovation--and rates of adoption is documented in the adoption/diffusion literature (Rogers, 1983; Fliegel and Kivlin, 1966).

Concluding remarks
Building soil conservation techniques on a base of local knowledge can improve the rate at which they are adopted. The knowledge reflected in traditional conservation practices is the product of lifelong experience in managing natural resources. These practices are ecologically sound, and should be supplemented and improved rather than replaced by modern technology. If resources are to be used sustainably, indigenous soil conservation systems must be recognized by extension services and used as a springboard for promoting soil conservation practices among local farmers.
Indigenous soil conservation systems should be improved and not carelessly supplanted by international scientific knowledge systems.

Dr. B.E. Dialla
Burkina Faso Resource Centre for Indigenous Knowledge (Centre Burkinabè de Recherche sur les Pratiques et Savoirs Paysans)
B.P. 5154
Ouagadougou 02
Burkina Faso
Tel: +226-307664/308608
Fax: +226-312209

References
Chambers, R. (1983) Rural Development: Putting the last first. Harlow: Longman House.

Compton, L.J. (1989) 'Linking scientist and farmer: Rethinking extension's role', pp. 79-84 in L.J. Compton (ed) The transformation of international agriculture research and development. Boulder: Lynne Rienner Publishers.

Fliegel, F.C. and J.E. Kivlin (1966) 'Attributes of innovations as factors in diffusion', The American Journal of Sociology 72:235-248.

Fujisaka, S. (1991) 'What does 'Build research on farmer practice' mean? Rice crop establishment (Beusani) in Eastern India as an illustration', Agriculture and Human Values VIII(1-2):93-98.

Groenfeldt, D. (1991) 'Building on tradition: Indigenous irrigation knowledge and sustainable development in Asia', Agriculture and Human Values VIII(1-2):114-120.

Harrison, P. (1987) The greening of Africa: Breaking through in the battle for land and food. London: Penguin Books.

Marchal, J-Y. (1986) 'Vingt ans de lutte antiérosive au nord du Burkina Faso', Cahiers ORSTOM, Série Pédologie XXII(2):173-180.

Richards, P. (1985) Indigenous agricultural revolution: Ecology and food production in West Africa. Boulder: Westview Press.

Rogers, E.M. (1983) Diffusion of innovations. New York: The Free Press.

Roose, E. and J. Piot (1984) 'Runoff, erosion and soil fertility restoration on the Mossi plateau (Central Upper Volta).' Paper presented at the symposium on Challenges in African hydrology and water resources, Harare.

Roose, E. (1988) 'Soil and water conservation: Lessons from steep-slope farming in French-speaking countries of Africa', pp. 129-139 in W.C. Moldenhauer and N.W. Hudson (eds) Conservation farming on steep lands. Ankeny (Iowa): World Association of Soil and Water Conservation.

Roose, E. and J.M. Sarrailh (1989-1990) 'Erodibilité de quelques sols tropicaux: Vingt années de mesure en parcelles d'érosion sous pluies naturelles', Cahiers ORSTOM, Série Pédologie XXV(1-2):7-30.

Stoop, W.A. (1987) 'Variations in soil properties along three toposequences in Burkina Faso, and implications for the development of improved cropping systems', Agriculture, Ecosystems and Environment 19:241-264.

Warren, D.M. and K. Cashman (1988) Indigenous knowledge for agriculture and rural development. London: IIED.

Warren, D. M. (1989) 'Linking scientific and indigenous agricultural systems', pp. 153-170 in L.J. Compton (ed) The transformation of international agricultural research and development. Boulder: Lynne Rienner Publishers.

Endnotes
**1 In this article soil conservation practices are understood to include practices for the conservation of water.

**2 The Mossi are the main ethnic group in Burkina Faso. They make up about two-thirds of the total population of nine million people.

**3 Fieldwork for dissertation. B.E. Dialla (1992): The adoption of soil conservation practices in Burkina Faso: The role of indigenous knowledge, social structure and institutional support. Ames: Iowa State University.