Characterization of the Sweet Potato Production System in the Kou Valley in the Western Zone of Burkina Faso
Abstract
In the search for diversification of sources of income, producers have adopted the cultivation of sweet potato in their rotation, especially in irrigated plains. Despite the growing interest of producers for this crop, few results exist on the production systems as practiced by producers with a view to the sustainability of the activity.
The present study aims to characterize the sweet potato production system on the developed perimeter of the Kou valley. To this end, surveys were carried out in the farming community on 30 farms. The results showed that sweet potato is cultivated in rotation with rice in the plain. One hundred percent (100%) of the producers surveyed practice rotation on their agricultural plot. Fertilization is a common practice, growers use NPK and Urea. Labor remains a concern for the crop for more than 80% of producers. Strengthening the technical capacities of producers would be beneficial through appropriate training.
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Introduction
Agriculture of Burkina Faso is less and less productive and can no longer meet the basic needs of a growing population. The tubers which constitute the main edible part of the plant are rich in vitamins A, C, Band mineral salts (Low et al., 2007; Burri, 2011). They are also used in many culinary preparations, and food industry uses it as a source of starch, or, in the form of flour, as a substitute for cereal flour (Sihachakr et al., 1997; INSD, 2013; Koussoubé et al., 2018). The leaves are eaten as a condiment or in the form of leafy vegetables, or as fodder for livestock (DGESS, 2014). In Burkina Faso, sweet potato cultivation has experienced increasing success over the past ten years, increasing from a production of 27,000 tons in 2001 to 141,000 tons in 2011, an increase of 400% (Traoré, 2014 ). Despite this relative importance of the plant, very few scientific results are available in Burkina Faso on the characterization of the crop as practiced by farmers with a view to improving its productivity. In a context of the impoverishment of rural populations, it is urgent to propose solutions in order to ensure the sustainability of production. This study is a contribution to abetter knowledge of production systems based on sweet potato in order to ensure the sustainability of production systems in Burkina Faso. Specifically, our activities aimed to characterize the sweet potato-based cropping system on farms in the rice-growing plain of the Kou valley. This study was conducted under the assumption that the sweet potato cropping system varies depending on the availability of soil and the grower'sknowledge of the plant.
Conclusion
This study aims to characterize the sweet potato production system and propose improvement options to producers. The sweet potato appears as a crop of the future and is part of the development strategies of the Burkinabè government for achieving food security and improving the incomes of rural populations. Despite the efforts made by the development, research and production services of this speculation remains limited. The cultivation of sweet potato is confronted with several difficulties which result in a drop in its productivity. This study is a contribution to abetter knowledge of sweet potato production systems capable of promoting its cultivation and increasing its production at the national level. The results of our work from the investigations carried out at the level of the developed perimeter of the Kou valley show that the sweet potato is cultivated in rotation with rice and the sweet potato plants receive fertilizers. In perspective, it will be necessary to continue work on the characterization of sweet potato production systems in other climatic zones in order to provide accessible and inexpensive options for rural populations. ACKNOWLEDGMENT The authors also express their gratitude to the University of Fada N’Gourma and the Institute for the Environment and Agricultural Research (Farako-Bâ Research Station) for their multifaceted support in carrying out this study.
