Characterization of the different types of agrosystems in the Commune of Aplahoué in South-Eastern Bénin

Abstract

In tropical African countries, agrosystems reflecting agro-ecological and social realities are very varied. The objective of the research was to characterize the different types of agrosystems in the commune of Aplahoué in the south-east of Benin. A survey of the agricultural landscape through floristic inventories using the linear survey method at the scale of farm management sectors in order to determine the different types of agrosystems in the area and a socio-cultural characterization of the agrosystems were carried out through a semi-structured interview with 305 farmers whose farms were visited. The socio-agricultural investigations are conducted through interviews with the different actors and direct observations. The results revealed the existence of a diversity of agrosystems in the commune of Aplahoué. These are monocultural agrosystems (58%), polycultural (86.48%) and particular (38.89%). The agricultural production system wais vulnerable to hydro-climatic risks such as pockets of drought, high temperature, late start of rains and poor distribution of rains which negatively impacted the development of crops. To mitigate the impacts recorded, the resilience strategies adopted by producers consisted of anticipating the sowing period, making repeated, staggered and early sowings, adopting new varieties of crops and taking measures to strengthen the capacity of producers, then performing rituals to ward off bad spells in order to improve agricultural production in the commune of Aplahoué. However, they continue to face serious difficulties which are also material and financial to which urgent solutions must be found.