In the northern region of Burkina Faso, where drought is a major problem, insufficient rainfall combined with poor soil conditions do not guarantee sufficient cereal production during the rainy season to cover the food needs of families.

In 2004, the Association for Research and Training in Agroecology (ARFA) began experimenting with its agroecological approach in the northern region, with ecological market gardening as the main focus of its intervention in this area.

In the face of drought, the populations who had low-lying land devoted themselves to market gardening. The practices promoted were aimed at improving access to water (construction of boreholes), encouraging the dissemination of water-saving watering techniques, promoting organic soil improvers and fertilizers, and supporting marketing.

Throughout its various programs, ARFA has placed particular emphasis on organic amendments, working to improve their availability and quality. In this way, in-pit composting has emerged, in a pattern of continuous reflection supported by action research, and has resulted in simple or enriched types of compost.

For the development of the initiative, ARFA has promoted:

- The establishment of local relay farmers and farmer trainers for local supervision and peer training;

- Action research for the co-construction of knowledge (researchers, development agents, farmers);

- The organization of exchanges between farmers (Farmer Field Schools, Family Farm Advisory, exchange trips) for capacity building and the triggering of change.

The awareness of the farmers on these issues has allowed :

- The development of Soil Water Conservation Areas (SWCAs) in order to reclaim space for vegetable production for market garden production.

- To make important contributions of organic matter to the soils, thus improving their texture and fertility and enhancing the vegetation cover through the practice of agroforestry and other forms of planting: village groves, alignment planting, etc.

- To reduce the use of toxic phytosanitary products by focusing on the production of biopesticides.

This factsheet is produced within the framework of the Avaclim project, which aims to create the necessary conditions for the deployment of agroecology in drylands. The international solidarity association CARI coordinates the Avaclim project while the ARFA carries out the implementation in Burkina Faso.