Université de Ouagadougou, Unité de Formation et de Recherches en Sciences de la Vie et de la Terre (UFR/SVT), Département de Biologie et Physiologie Végétales, Laboratoire de Biologie et Ecologie Végétales, 09 BP 848 Ouagadougou 09, Burkina Faso
The food cereals production increased strongly in the North-Central region of Burkina Faso between 1984 and 2013. However, the driving factors of this trend are not well known. This work aims to identify and analyze the main environmental and human factors that favor the cereals production increase. The hypothesis of this study states that the rainfall, the extent of cultivated areas and the yields influence strongly the cereals production. The methodological approach consisted to collect and analyze data of monthly rainfall from eleven stations and agricultural statistics of sorghum, millet and maize from the region. Statistical analysis consisted in trends assessment, ruptures detection and simple correlations performing between factors. The results showed that the annual cultivated area of sorghum and maize increased ; whereas the annual area of millet declined. The annual productions of sorghum, millet and maize increased. The annual yields of three cereals increased. The rainfall (63,4%), yields (83%) and cultivated areas (77,5%) were the strong driving factors of the annual production increase of sorghum. However, the annual production increase of millet were favored by rainfall (69,3%) and yields (77,2%). Similarly, rainfall (69,5%) and yields (82,5%) have strongly influenced the annual production increase of maize. These results encourage promoting and developing further sustainable agriculture in the North-central region of Burkina Faso.