Study on the Diversification of Farmers' Activities under Demographie and Land Pressure. The Case of Burundi

Abstract

Preceding studies on the traditional farming systems in Burundi show a tendency towards a diversification of income sources, through extra-agricultural activities. The survey mentioned below tries to evaluate the existence and importance of the diversification, based on several hypotheses. The results of the survey do not show a real diversification of activities which could lead to abandoning agriculture as the main source of income. On the contrary, the extra-agricultural activities tend to reinforce the agricultural activities themselves, by supplying complementary means, in particular for buying or renting land. It is mainly the school trained farmer who carries out extra-agricultural activities. So school training seems to be the "catalyst" of a diversification of activities. But it is probably out of a long process of increasing richness, out of a diversification of the economy and the whole society that extra-agricultural activities and diversified products will be developed.

Keywords

• Extra
• agricultural Activities
• Farming Systems
• Planning
• Burundi