The sustainable use of rangelands in pastoral areas requires the inclusion of all stakeholders to develop sound management strategies. However, the role of these actors in the sustainable management of natural resources is still poorly understood. The present study aims to (i) assess the perception of farmers and herders of the risks and opportunities of transhumance on rangeland resource use and management, and to (ii) generate useful knowledge for the design and implementation of policies that favor the coexistence of these actors and reduce competition over rangeland resources use in Benin. To this end, interviews were conducted with 240 crop farmers and herders using a semi-structured questionnaire in two contrasting agroecological zones in the northern (Kandi) and the southern (Kétou) part of the country. Among the respondents, 64% of farmers in the North were agro-pastoralists (owning 10.6 ha of land and 10.7 cattle) and 36% were herders (keeping 45.8 cattle and cultivating about 3.7 ha of land). They perceived that communal rangelands were entirely degraded. In the South, 36% of respondents were agro-pastoralists (with 0.3 cattle and farming 4 ha of land) and 64% cattle herders (raising 45.3 cattle and farming 0.9 ha of land only). Of the herders, 50% kept cattle for more than 20 years, while agro-pastoralists had no previous experience in cattle herding. Cultivation practices among crop farmers, such as high use of mineral fertilization (23.8%) and bush fires for land clearing (22.5%), were reported in Kandi (North) and Kétou (South) as factors that might contribute to land degradation. However, these farmers perceived transhumance as a threat to the sustainable use of natural resources. In contrast, herders perceived transhumance as an opportunity to valorize unused land and increase the availability of manure to cropland. The prevalent negative attitude of crop farmers regarding transhumant herders increases the vulnerability of cattle herding in both regions. There is an urgent need of raising awareness concerning the mutual benefits provided by the coexistence of crop farmers with herders to promote participative rangeland management strategies. This may contribute towards coping with the current challenges of food insecurity and increasing climate variability as well as to reducing recurrent conflicts in the region.

Several studies have investigated nutrient-enriched and nutrient poor biochar to improve soil properties, increase nutrient use efficiency and crop productivity. Review articles have presented formulations and production methods of biochar-based fertilizers. They reported nutrient-enriched biochar improves -45ves crop productivity, soil health and preserves the environment. But so far, none of the studies has conceptualized the nutrient-enriched biochar as a biochar-based smart fertilizer or presented the conceptual and intellectual structures and the collaborative networks of authors and countries working on biochar-based smart fertilizers. For the first time, this study has mapped the scientific knowledge generated on the topic and established a solid ground for its innovative progress and research pursuits. A total of 2,779 scientific publications on biochar-based fertilizers were exported from scopus database in August 2022 and were analyzed using bibliometrix software package and the biblioshiny web interface in R version 4.1.3. The results indicated that the papers in our collection cover the period from 2007 to 2022 with a raising number from 2017 to 2021. Almost all documents (99.38%) were co-authored with an average of 6 authors (5.76) per article. The analysis of keywords and the evolution of topics revealed that biochar-based smart fertilizers in relation to organic nutrient sources, soil microbiology and soil sanitation were the most studied topics in the scientific debates. China had more collaboration in the network working on biochar-based fertilizers, while the West African countries belonging to the network have not developed any collaboration so far. This suggests the formulation of research projects that may involve African countries to work with other countries including China, USA, Germany, Australia and Poland. This study is more comprehensive in terms of a global view of the conceptual and intellectual contours and network of actors on biochar-based smart fertilizers. Future research on the topic should be conducted more in the fields under farmers’ conditions and may focus on (i) enrichment of biochar with nutrients from organic sources before its application to the soil, (ii) soil remediation and microbiology in relation to biochar-based fertilizer applications, and (iii) economic profitability of biochar fertilizers for small-scale farmers.

This study examined the effects of transhumance pressure on total abavoe-ground biomass and forage availability on rangelands in Benin. We also investigated the implications of land cover transitions on rangelands over a 31-year period. Our work was carried out in three regions of Benin representing distinct phytogeographic regimes: Ketou, Tchaourou, and Sinende. Ground-truthing and biomass sampling of the herbaceous and phanaerophyte strata were carried out between the 2016 peak vegetation period and the onset of the 2017 rainy season. Herbaceous biomass was determined by destructive sampling, and biomass of shrub and trees was estimated using non-destructive sampling and allometric equations. Historical and present-day Landsat data allowed an analysis of land cover change for the 1986–2002 and 2002–2017 periods. Land cover analyses yielded evidence of significant expansion of agricultural areas, especially in the latter period. The data also revealed progressive landscape fragmentation and transformations to a land cover of reduced total phytomass. There were no long-term effects of transhumance on trees, but likely on herbaceous biomass. Land cover changes in the study regions seem primarily the result of population pressure, infrastructural changes, persisting norms, and traditions regarding environmental management and the increasing popularity of livestock keeping as an insurance strategy. Rangeland transformations had negative impacts on transhumant herds’ mobility and forage availability. As rangeland stability and consent between agricultural and pastoral land users are at a tipping point, informed policies, and land use planning that foster compromises among all stakeholders are needed.

Feed intake on pastures plays a vital role in cattle rearing in West Africa. However, the scarcity of pastures during the dry season may result in changing grazing behaviour by cattle. Therefore, we studied the management practices of transhumant herders on communal rangelands through monitoring of cattle herds’ behaviour in southern Benin. We expected changes in grazing behaviours of cattle and shifts in diet composition and diet overlaps between herds. Therefore, feeding and spatial behaviours of cattle were studied on six transhumant herds monitored daily, each during three consecutive days on communal rangelands of Djidja. In each herd, three adult cows of four to five years old were equipped with two GPS data loggers (GT-730FL-S) to monitor animals’ movements. The data loggers were set to record the positions of the animals every 10 s and direct observations of the animal activities were made. The results indicated that the activities of cattle varied greatly according to site (p < 0.05). Moreover, feed ingested varied with site. The ration was dominated by woody species with 70% Fabaceae, whereas shrubs and grasses were less represented, indicating a shift in diet. This analysis is required for better monitoring of grazing cattle.

Face à l’expansion des terres agricoles, aux insuffisances alimentaires et au programme de sédentarisation des élevages, les systèmes d’élevage bovins au Nord Bénin doivent désormais s’adapter à la variabilité spatiale et temporelle des ressources afin d’assurer la sécurité alimentaire de leur cheptel et la diversification des revenus. La présente étude vise à analyser les stratégies d’adaptation des élevages bovins dans le contexte actuel de sédentarisation et d’insuffisances alimentaires. Ainsi, 280 élevages bovins sédentaires appartenant à trois zones agroécologiques : Gogounou (Zone Cotonnière Nord), Kalale (Zone Vivrière du Sud Borgou) et Tchaourou (Zone Cotonnière Centre) ont fait l’objet d’étude. Les données collectées concernent les facteurs de choix des zones de pâture, les zones de pâturage des animaux et les stratégies d’adaptation aux insuffisances alimentaires. Une analyse factorielle des correspondances multiples (AFCM), suivie d’une classification hiérarchique ascendante, a permis de faire une typologie des stratégies. Trois stratégies d’adaptation ont été identifiées : (i) élevage avec une stratégie d’adaptation basée sur l’agropastoralisme (EAP : 42,5 %) ; (ii) élevage avec une stratégie d’adaptation mixte basée sur la mobilité courte et longue distance avec division du troupeau (EMim : 21,1 %) et (iii) élevage avec une stratégie d’adaptation basée sur la mobilité en zones protégées (EMAP : 36,4 %). La diversité des zones de pâturage, la localisation des éleveurs, le cheptel bovin, l’expansion des zones agricoles, les itinéraires de transhumance et les types d’élevage sont les principaux déterminants des différents groupes de stratégies d’adaptation étudiées (p < 0,05). La culture fourragère constitue la stratégie la plus viable et prometteuse pour assurer l’autonomie alimentaire. L’appropriation aux éleveurs de terres sur lesquelles ils pourront obtenir un droit de propriété serait un grand atout pour promouvoir cette stratégie.

La lentille de terre (Macrotyloma geocarpum [Harms] Maréchal & Baudet) est une légumineuse très prisée et bien consommée par les populations du Centre et Sud du Bénin et peu dans le septentrion. Cependant, elle est peu cultivée dans le nord bien qu’elle soit très prisée sur le marché par rapport aux autres légumineuses à graines. Cela est probablement dû à son rendement très faible (500 kg/ha en moyenne), son aptitude médiocre au stockage et sa culture qui nécessite une quantité importante de travail du sol. Ainsi, pour améliorer et intensifier sa production dans le Nord, un essai a été installé afin d’étudier les efficacités agronomique et économique de la biomasse verte de Tithonia diversifolia sur la production de Macrotyloma geocarpum (Doyiwé) à Parakou au Nord Bénin. L’essai était installé suivant un bloc aléatoire complet avec quatre taux d'application de biomasse feuilles de T. diversifolia: T₁ = sans biomasse appliquée, T₁ = 0,25 tonne (t de matière sèche (MS / ha)), T₂ = 0,75 t MS / ha et T₃ = 1t MS / ha répliqué trois fois. Des données ont été recueillies sur le taux de croissance des feuilles à une fréquence de 7 jours et le rendement 5 mois après le semis. La biomasse de T. diversifolia appliquée à 1 t MS / ha a amélioré significativement (P <0,05) la croissance et le rendement en grains (800,0 ± 83,21 kg MS / ha) de la lentille de terre. L'analyse économique a également indiqué une marge bénéficiaire de 938000 FCFA / ha (environ 1722 USD/ha) avec 1 t de MS/ ha de biomasse de T. diversifolia appliquée. Cette étude met en évidence le potentiel de recyclage / transformation des déchets en ressource précieuse pouvant être utilisée pour intensifier la production de la lentille de terre dans le nord du Bénin.