Analysis of Cropping Practices on Two Irrigated Perimeters of the Volta Blanche Basin with the Use of Shallow Groundwater

Abstract

This study aims to analyze the development of small-scale irrigation using shallow groundwater in Nahouri province (south-central Burkina Faso). The methodological approach adopted was essentially based firstly on semi-structured surveys with producers who have adopted sump technology and the monitoring of groundwater level using the installed piezometers and secondly on geophysical prospection. Results obtained show that market gardening is mainly a family activity practiced on plots of 0.20 ha with a predominance of pepper cultivation occupying about 75% of cultivated areas. It was also highlighted that this agricultural activity faces several constraints that delay its development. These include: lack of water, land insecurity, small and fragmented farms and difficulty in selling products when they are put on local markets at the very same time as significant price drops. This problem is accentuated by the perishable nature of these market garden products. Despite these limiting factors, there is some satisfaction considering the income earned by farmers, most of whom are able to meet their primary needs. This work made it possible to conclude that even in zones which are not sedimentary formations, it is possible to mobilize groundwater, at a reasonable depth for agricultural purposes, without much effort to practice additional irrigation, knowing that evaporation carries harm to the use of dams.