Abstract
Cattle production is an essential livelihood strategy in south-western Burkina Faso. Although having a distinct cultural role and known to be resistant against African animal trypanosomosis, the Lobi taurine cattle breed is endangered due to its low market value. As the first step in preservation efforts, our study aimed to develop a typology of production systems at the farm level. We used a structured questionnaire and focus group discussions for collecting data on household characteristics, socioeconomic activities, livestock, and access to services. The sample comprised 169 households in three communities. The analytical strategy included factor analysis of mixed data and hierarchical clustering. We identified four distinct types of cattle production systems: (1) sedentary Lobi farms, (2) sedentary crossbreed farms, (3) semi-transhumant Fulani zebu farms, and (4) transhumant Fulani zebu farms. Significant factors in developing this typology were the farmers’ ethnic group, crop diversity, cattle herd size, cattle herd composition, number of small ruminants, and livestock management strategies. Across all production systems, men were considered being primary decision-makers in cattle production, with women, herders, and children being responsible for specific tasks. All identified production systems are increasingly confronting disease pressure and scarcity of water and land. Future efforts in preservation and breeding will need to respond to these trends in the agroecosystem, integrate risk management measures, and resonate with the specific needs of the different household members involved in cattle rearing.
Highlights
In Burkina Faso, the cattle production sector contributes between 36 and 40% to total agricultural added value and 26% to agricultural export value (FAO 2018; MAHRH 2011)
Lobi taurine cattle are known to be resistant against African animal trypanosomosis (Sow et al 2005; Dayo 2009; Soudré et al Trop Anim Health Prod (2020) 52:2179–2189
We reduced the dataset dimensions into non-correlated dimensions, explaining much of the variance of the original dataset, using factor analysis of mixed data (FAMD)
Summary
In Burkina Faso, the cattle production sector contributes between 36 and 40% to total agricultural added value and 26% to agricultural export value (FAO 2018; MAHRH 2011). Bos taurus and Bos indicus, are kept by farmers, agro-pastoralists, and pastoralists. Cattle are a valuable source of food (meat and milk products), provide services (transport and traction), function as a savings and insurance, and play a central role in the culture of different ethnic groups (Jahnke 1982; De la Rocque et al 2001). The production strategies are based on local cattle breeds and have been described as extensive systems, including mixed crop-livestock, agro-pastoral, and pastoral systems (Kaboré 2012). Members of the Lobi ethnic group, practicing sedentary mixed croplivestock farming, have traditionally kept Lobi taurine cattle (Coulibaly 1989; Sicot 1993, Mopaté et al 2014). Lobi taurine cattle are known to be resistant against African animal trypanosomosis
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