Sustainable Farmland Management in the Context of Climate Change in Inland Valleys of Southern Benin

Abstract

Inland valleys constitute an important but underutilized land type for food production in West Africa. In southern Benin, production in these valleys is limited by lack of appropriate water management and limited access to input and output markets. This lack of appropriate water management has been exacerbated by recent climate change manifested through more frequent floods and below average rainfall years that increase the frequency of crop failure that in turn diminishes the contribution of inland valleys to food security in West Africa and Benin in particular. This project expanded knowledge of how to better manage inland valleys in Southern Benin for improved food security in the context of climate change through (1) evaluating the suitability of current inland valleys water management schemes for hydraulic/hydrologic functioning in the context of climate change; (2) assessing farmers vulnerability to climate change and effective adaptation strategies in inland valleys; and (3) informing relevant stakeholders about the most appropriate inland valley management options. The funding has been provided by US National Science Foundation, Climate Change, Agriculture and Food Security (CCAFS) and CDKN