In many regions of the world, and specifically in the municipality of Grand-Popo in Benin, agropastoral practices are essential for the local economy and the livelihoods of communities. However, these activities are increasingly threatened by the impacts of climate change. Variations in precipitation, prolonged droughts, sudden floods, and other extreme weather phenomena disrupt the natural cycles of crop growth, as well as the availability of pasturelands. Additionally, overexploitation of natural resources leads to soil degradation and damage to fragile ecosystems.
This research aims to analyze the constraints faced by agropastoralists in the municipality of Grand-Popo.
To this end, qualitative and quantitative data were collected using interview guides and questionnaires from a random sample of 120 individuals, including farmers, herders, and agropastoralists. The data were analyzed using descriptive statistics.
The results indicate that agropastoralists are facing several constraints. These include health issues, conflicts related to space management, mainly due to animal wandering, overgrazing, and destructive farming practices leading to the disappearance of certain species. Additionally, droughts have a significant impact, with a lack of water infrastructure in the municipality and limited water resources in grazing areas. Floods also result in significant losses, with a high concentration of herds in certain areas of the municipality, causing damage to crops and the death of many animals.
The present study aims to analyze the hydropluviometric variability and the dynamic of land cover in the catchment of the Sota located at the North-east of Benin. It is based on the exploitation, on one hand, of rainfall and runoff data over the period 1965-2010 and, on the other hand, of satellite images Landsat TM of 1995 and Landsat 8 OLI/TIRS of 2013. The calculation of rainfall and hydrometric index and the application of statistical tests were used to analyze the hydropluviometric variability in the catchment of Sota. This variability is marked by similar fluctuations of rainfall and runoff. The break identified on rainfall and hydrometric series in 1970 is followed by a rainfall deficit of 6,76 % and a flow deficit of 33,75 %. The analysis of land cover maps produced from satellite images made it possible to release the land cover dynamic. This dynamic is characterized by the regression of natural vegetation formations to the profit of anthropic formations. The crops areas and fallows knew the greatest expansion with an annual growth rate of 6, 16 %. The degradation of the vegetation cover is undoubtedly one of the factors of the persistence of the relatively high level of the hydrometric deficit in the watershed of Sota.