Biodiversity Restoration in Northern Burkina Faso

Study Area: Yatenga Province

The project operates in the northern area of Burkina Faso. In 2012 the northern region had approximately 1,382,000 inhabitants in an area of 16 086 km2 with about 85 inhabitants / km2, placing the region among the most populated of the country. This high human density puts pressure on natural resources (land and vegetation). Soils are poor and rainfall is low and erratic making the people of this area most vulnerable to climatic hazards such as droughts, floods and high winds. The severity of climatic conditions has led people, government structures and the various partners to develop many strategies to adapt to climate change impacts.

Research

The research questions addressed In Burkina Faso are related to the use and restoration of land and biodiversity. Woody vegetation is the main natural resources that people use throughout the year, especially during the long dry season, to satisfy their multiple needs (food, construction, energy wood, handicrafts, fodder, soil fertility, etc.). Previous studies show that the desired future of the majority of population in this area to improve resilience is related to theavailability in term of quality (species diversity) and quantity (abundance of useful species) of woody vegetation. According to rural populations, revegetation is associated with land restoration and abundant and diverse agro-pastoral production. This is so first, to know what is the role of woody biodiversity in adaptation strategies of different social groups to climate change? and secondly, what is the impact of agrosilvopastoral adaptation practices on the conservation and restoration of plant biodiversity? And finally, what are the changes in behavior and the types of social organization to promote a sustainable increase ecosystem services and equitable access to different social categories?.