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Abstract
Maize is the main cereal crop in the rural commune of Bérégadougou, located within the Cascades region, in western Burkina Faso. It is traded commercially and is the staple food of the local population. Given the climatic variability affecting maize farming systems, this study aims to analyse its effects on maize production in Bérégadougou. The research methodology is based on a global geographical approach that integrates meteorological data (1991-2020), climatic parameters and field work. The results show a variation in rainfall patterns, with a rainy season (May to October) and a dry season (November to April). The interannual rainfall trend shows that several years (e.g., 1992, 1996, 1999–2017) are considered dry because the average rainfall is below 900 mm, which is the average for the series. The temperature analysis shows that 1998, 2002, 2003, 2004, 2005, 2010, and 2016 recorded average annual temperatures of over 28°C, while the other years in the study series had average temperatures between 27°C and 28°C. Evapotranspiration is also fairly high in the rural commune of Bérégadougou, at over 2,000 mm for all years in the analysed series. As a result, maize growers have to adjust and implement adaptation strategies: crop association (98% of maize growers), crop rotation (78% of the growers), chemical fertilizers (48% of the growers), and organic manure (97% of the growers). Public and private authorities must therefore encourage farmers to adopt new short-cycle varieties that are resistant to climatic variability.
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