Traditional Systems for Maintaining Soil Fertility and Adapting Family Rice Cultivation to Water Deficit in the Upper Niger Valley in Dabola

Abstract

The decline in agricultural productivity caused by human activities and exacerbated by climate change remains an undeniable reality in West Africa. Farmers in the region have managed to adapt to these challenges by adopting certain traditional practices that are compatible with changing climatic conditions, which underpins the title of our article: “Traditional Systems for Maintaining Soil Fertility and Adapting Family Rice Farming to Water Deficits in the Upper Niger Valley at Dabola.” Our specific objectives are as follows: (i) To identify the major climatic shocks indicating climate change in the Upper Niger Basin at Dabola; (ii) To determine the current and potential impacts of climate change on rice production in the area; (iii) To analyze the adaptation strategies implemented by local communities to sustainably mitigate the impacts of climate change on rice production. To achieve these objectives, we employed the following methods: literature review, and field surveys using direct observation, semi-structured interviews, and questionnaires. The main results indicate that the edaphic and climatic characteristics of the area divide it into five agroecological zones: (i) The Woulada plateau; (ii) The Foutanian piedmont; (iii) The Fria hills and plateau; (iv) Natural reserves (classified forests). Farm sizes are relatively small, ranging between 0.4 and 1.5 hectares, and yields are also low, at 0.5 t/ha on slopes and mountains compared to 1.5 t/ha on plains and lowlands. The rate of change in rainfall between 1950 and 2010 is −5.68%, corresponding to a decline in normal levels over these sixty years. The impacts of climate change on water resources in the area are both environmental (drying up of watercourses during the dry season, resulting in reduced water availability) and socioeconomic (disruption of the agricultural calendar and a significant decrease in crop yields). Household adaptation strategies to climatic shocks are based on food security, economic measures, and ecosystem management. To deepen the understanding, a socio-economic study should be conducted in the area to better illustrate the deficits associated with climatic shocks and to identify appropriate measures for addressing these recurrent challenges in the Upper Niger Valley at Dabola.