Peri-Urban Land Tenure in West Africa: When Housing Promoters Make and Break the Agglomeration of Saaba in Greater Ouaga in Burkina Faso
- 1 Department of Geography, University Joseph KI-ZERBO of Ouagadougou, Ouagadougou, Burkina Faso
- 2 Department of Sociology, University of Gaoua, Gaoua, Burkina Faso
- 3 Department of Geography, University Joseph KI-ZERBO of Ouagadougou, Ouagadougou, Burkina Faso
- 4 Department of Geography, University Joseph KI-ZERBO of Ouagadougou, Ouagadougou, Burkina Faso
Abstract
This article addresses the issue of land mobilisation on the outskirts of African towns for housing promotion to the detriment of agro-sylvo-pastoral activities. In developing countries in general, and in Burkina Faso in particular, land is a major issue for local development and also a source of socio-economic fulfilment. Nowadays, one aspect of the land issue is housing development on the outskirts of towns, which since the advent of the popular uprising of 30 and 31 October 2014 in Burkina Faso, has caused a boom in land occupation in the country, more specifically in Greater Ouaga and in particular in the rural municipality of Saaba, closer to the country’s Capital Ouagadougou. Our research aims to assess the state of land mobilisation by housing promoters in this municipality. To do this, cadastral data were used to assess the state of land mobilisation and to map housing promoters sites. Field surveys were also carried out to understand the factors promoting land mobilisation. The results show that more than twenty-three (23) housing agencies are active in the rural municipality of Saaba. These promoters have mobilised a total area of 8,257 ha, compared with 2,429 ha for operations carried out by the Government, i.e., a rate of 339.93%, and compared with 541 ha of land earmarked for future urbanisation projects, i.e., 137.37%. This pressure has led to a 14.78% decline in land suitable for agricultural and pastoral activities. In view of this situation, the study proposes the introduction of a land monitoring tool to survey the pressure on land from housing promoters in the municipality. The results of the study corroborate those of other authors who have studied the issue.
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