Vulnérabilités et stratégies d’adaptation des paysans face aux changements socio-environnementaux en Haute Casamance (Sud-Sénégal)

Abstract

Food security is an old wish of the highest political authorities in Senegal. From independence to the present day, various agricultural policies have been proposed to satisfy at least the country’s food demand. The Upper Casamance is one of the regions which should enable this objective to be achieved. However, in this region the prospects for agricultural development are very uncertain due to the combination of many soil, socio-economic and technological hazards. The European Union is also committed to the development of the European Agricultural Area. The objective of this study is to analyse the vulnerability and adaptability of farmers in the face of socio-environmental dynamics in Upper Casamance. The magnitude of change is measured through a comprehensive and multi-scaled geographic approach that integrates both geomatics tools (GIS, GPS point surveys) and fieldwork (direct observations, surveys of 441 households in 12 communes and analysis of perceptions). This approach led to the identification of vulnerability factors that revolve around soil-climatic obstacles, political-technical and organisational constraints. Also, analysis of mitigation strategies showed that rotation (91%), fallow land (38%), crop association, hydroagricultural development are the techniques used to increase production.

Keywords

• vulnerability
• adaptation strategies
• socio-environmental change
• Upper Casamance
• Senegal