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 Printable version |
Evaluation of the feasibility of three types of soil tillage: Applying the SARRA model in the Central Plateau region of Burkina Faso |
Science et changements planétaires / Sécheresse. Volume 20, Number 4, 338-45, octobre-novembre-décembre 2009, Article de recherche
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 Résumé
Article gratuit
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Author(s) : Albert Barro, Robert Zougmoré, Michel P Sedogo |
Summary : Soil tillage is carried out in the central region of Burkina to install cereal crops. A study of the feasibility of three soil tillage techniques (ploughing, scarifying, hand hoeing) was conducted in the Saria region. A modified SARRA (Système d’analyse régional des risques agroclimatiques) model was used for the simulation with 62 years of daily rainfall. With 80% probability, soil scarifying could potentially be carried out during a 16-period day before 15 June, the deadline sowing date for sorghum, allowing tilling of 16 hectares. About 10 days were potentially favourable to both soil ploughing and hand hoeing, covering only 2 hectares. Soil scarifying appeared the most adapted soil tillage technique as the 4.5 hectares average surface area per household could not potentially be tilled by soil ploughing before the sowing deadline date for sorghum, the main cereal crop in the region. This simulation method helps to adapt soil tillage techniques to the climatic conditions of the regions where they may be valorised and disseminated. Thus, considering local conditions for soil tillage would make it possible for farmers to apply efficient and cost-effective cropping techniques for the intensification of agricultural production in the Sahel. |
Keywords : ploughing, scarifying, hand hoeing, sorghum, rainfall, water balance modelling |
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