Farmer Practices for Sustainable Land Management and Climate Change Adaptation in the Municipality of Glazoué in Central Benin

Abstract

Problem Statement: Land use changes, primarily driven by agricultural expansion and intensification, pose a major threat to global biodiversity and land resources. In the Municipality of Glazoué, Central Benin, agricultural production is increasingly challenged by climate hazards and unsustainable practices, threatening food security in this key “breadbasket” region. This study aims to characterize land management practices and evaluate their environmental impacts. Methodology: Surveys were conducted with 329 randomly selected farming households. The Normalized Difference Vegetation Index (NDVI) was used to assess land degradation, complemented by descriptive statistics, discourse analysis, and GIS mapping. Allan’s coefficient (L) was calculated to evaluate soil disturbance levels. Results: The results showed that 44% of municipal land is highly degraded, yet only 11% of producers adopt sustainable land management practices. Allan’s coefficient (L < 5) confirms widespread overexploitation. A positive area-production relationship (R 2 = 0.73) masks declining productivity per hectare. Significant socio-economic impacts include land conflicts (3 deaths, 5 injuries, 115 cattle killed) and reduced food security. The observed impacts significantly affect farmers in a municipality recognized as one of the “granaries” of the Collines Department. Conclusion: Given this situation, the State and decentralized territorial authorities must develop urgent programs for behavioral change education and the dissemination of new sustainable land management technologies.