John Libbey Eurotext




Region use evolution in the sub-prefecture of Banikoara (North Benin)
Cahiers Agricultures. Volume 8, Number 2, 135-41, Mars - Avril 1999, Option
Résumé Article gratuit
Author(s) : Inoussa Toko Mouhamadou, Marcel A. da Matha Sant’Anna
Summary : The importance of monetary supply obtained from cotton by Banikoara’s farmers (North Benin) is reducing areas occupied by other crops. The evolution of the active population reflects the rarity of fertile soils. Cotton cultivation, harnessed cultivation, and improved agriculture technologies, are unfonctional on parcels with trees. In fact, cotton cultivation disrupts usual systems of cultivation, induces vegetation’s destruction and habitat’s atomization. Cotton is not the only cause of environment changing\; pastoral activity, the extensive character of stockbreeding and the scarcity of pastures are another environmental handicap. During the dry seasons, stockbreeders go for transhumance towards areas with water and pastures, while during the wet season, enlargement of cultivatied areas disturbs pastures exploitation by cattle. Improvement of animal health increases cattle density. Living together in a small area, stockbreeders and farmers have different views. Conflicts between them are friendly resolved, because some cows of stockbreerdes are farmers’ property. To reduce conflicts, populations invade progressively the protected areas in order to grow crops and get pastures. So, the National Park of "W" of Niger is under pressure from residents populations, despite the regular control of forest officers.
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Region use evolution in the sub-prefecture of Banikoara (North Benin)