Assessing the Inter-Relationship between Rural Population Migration and Environmental Change in the Dano Watershed, Burkina Faso

Binta Dansoko,Souleymane Sidi Traore

doi:10.37284/eajenr.4.1.517

Binta Dansoko, Souleymane Sidi Traore

Open Access

https://doi.org/10.37284/eajenr.4.1.517

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Abstract

The study analyses the Land Use and Land Cover (LULC) dynamics as an important environmental factor and links it to migration trends towards the study area. The work uses data collected across two (2) villages, both located in the Dano watershed. Three sets of 30-m Landsat images were used to measure the changes in LULC types for the years 1986, 1999 and 2014. Cumulatively focus group discussion and household interview were employed for socio-economic data collection. Census data for the periods 1987, 1996 and 2006 were also collected from the national census reports. LULC analysis revealed that vegetation area was progressively converted into croplands with an annual rate of 0.92% during the period of study. Pearson correlation analysis between population and cropland on one hand and population and vegetation on the second hand revealed a high positive correlation between population size and cropland (r = 0.99), while there was a high negative correlation between population size and vegetation (r = 0.96). The survey of 180 farmers revealed a diversity of questions about environmental change on their livelihood. Most 78% of farmers believe that deforestation is the main driver of environmental change as a result of the decrease of rainfall and strong wind. Many strategies are used by local communities as a response to environmental changes and migration is seen by 31% of the respondents as a common strategy used by the affected communities. These results from the study showed that migration is one of the major local responses to environmental change.

Highlights

Demographic dynamics in Burkina Faso, like other West African countries, have been characterised by population movements since pre-colonial times (Sow et al, 2014, Abdul-korah, 2008)
Once the areas of Land use and land cover (LULC) types were obtained for each period, the following equation was employed to calculate the rate of change (r)
R = 1 − (1 − A1 − A 2 ) t where A1 is the area covered by a given LULC at time 1, A2 the area at time 2 and t is the number of years for the period of analysis

Summary

Introduction

Demographic dynamics in Burkina Faso, like other West African countries, have been characterised by population movements since pre-colonial times (Sow et al, 2014, Abdul-korah, 2008). Its ongoing and potential contribution to society is still underestimated It is against this background that this research aims at assessing rural population response to environmental change in the Dano Watershed. The research site has been selected because of several reasons: i) characterised by a high population dynamic with pressure on available land; ii) high rainfall fluctuation and the area faced from several extreme weather in the recent decade; and it is expected to be affected by future like in many West African countries; iii) good records of existing long-term historical socio-economic data are available. Since the area is among the fertile zone “breadbasket” in the country

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