Rebuilding the Local Landscape: Environmental Management in Burkina Faso

This text examines an area that suffered widespread immigration following a Sahelian drought. It uses geographical and anthropological methods to analyse the land use change and local resource management, showing how the local communities have developed resource use patterns to safeguard both environment and livelihood. The author disputes the view held by development experts that the resettlement would cause further environmental degradation and proves that with innovative and co-operative local management, sustainability can be achieved in even the most fragile of landscapes.

Table of Contents:
Part 1 The resilience of the peasantry in Burkhina Faso (or les paysannes sont fortes): Burkhina Faso; physical geography; population; history and politics; economy; history, environment and movement in West Africa; the peasant mode of production; the peasantry; peasant adaptation; family dynamics and the farm; lifescapes. Part 2 The province of Sissili; physical environment; location, climate and geography; natural vegetation and land use; bush fire; vegetative production; human resources and human systems; population and ethnic groups; immigration; administrative and local political structures; issues of resource use in Sissili; background; agricultural characteristics of the Nuni, Mossi and Fulani; land tenure; the development of the agricultural landscape; soil types and indigenous soil classification; pastoralism; an introduction to the three case study villages; Lon; Boutiourou; Saboue; Islam in Sissili; the introduction and spread of Islam; why it fitted so well to Nuni life; animist Muslims. Part 3 Culturally locating production patterns: the Nuni; background; power and governance in Nuni communities; the Nuni farming system; hunting and gathering; the Mossi; background; the farming system of the Mossi; the Fulani. Part 4 Lon: population; description of the landscape; evolution of the farmed area; the future of the occupation of space in Lon; networks and linkages; Nuni; Mossi; Fulani; legal arrangements and administrative decision making; ethnic interrelationships in Lon. Part 5 Boutiourou: population; description of the landscape; evolution of the farmed area; the future of the occupation of space in Lon; networks and linkages; Nuni; Mossi; Fulani; legal arrangements and administrative decision making; ethnic interrelationships in Boutiourou. Part 6 Saboue: population; description of the landscape; evolution of the farmed area; the future of the occupation of space in Lon; networks and linkages; Nuni; Mossi; Fulani; legal arrangements and administrative decision making; ethnic interrelationships in Saboue. Part 7 Comparing differences: a comparative analysis; overview; a comparison of the farming system; women's agriculture and off-farm activities; household consumption in the villages; animal husbandry in the villages; discussion of analysis; explaining land-use change; possibilities and choice for new livelihoods; land use in relation to national agricultural policy; diffusion of ideas; directions of agricultural development; continuity and change. Part 8 Conclusion - African realities and Western dreams: Western scientific thought versus African thought; why we have not been able to understand African economies; how can we better understand African economies?; local environmental management and the emerging development paradigm; appendix - land classification unit according to de Boer, 1992.