Natural resources, socio-ecological sensitivity and climate change in the Volta-Oti Basin, West Africa

278 Pages·2020·22.826 MB·English

by  Guézéré, Assogba, Kankpénandja, Laldja, Runge, Jürgen

Natural Resources, Socio-Ecological
Sensitivity and Climate Change in the
Volta-Oti Basin, West Africa
Editors: J. Runge, A. Guézéré, L. Kankpénandja
NATURAL RESOURCES, SOCIO-ECOLOGICAL SENSITIVITY AND
CLIMATE CHANGE IN THE VOLTA-OTI BASIN, WEST AFRICA

Natural Resources, Socio-
Ecological Sensitivity and
Climate Change in the Volta-
Oti Basin, West Africa
Editors
Jürgen Runge
Department of Physical Geography & Centre for Interdisciplinary Research on Africa (ZIAF),
Goethe-University, Frankfurt am Main, Germany
Assogba Guézéré
Department of Geography & PREDES Research Centre, Faculty of Arts and Humanities,
University of Kara, Kara, Togo
Laldja Kankpénandja
Department of Geography & PREDES Research Centre, Faculty of Arts and Humanities,
University of Kara, Kara, Togo
Front cover: Artisanal sand extraction for housing and infrastructure construction in the
Volta-Oti catchment (Mô River) between Sokodé and Bassar (Togo). Population growth
and economic development are in need of natural resources which causes environmental
degradation of sensitive tropical landscapes (Photo: J. Runge, 2019).
Financially supported by Volkswagen Stiftung, Hannover, Germany, funding line
‘Knowledge for Tomorrow’
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Published by: CRC Press/Balkema
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ISBN: 978-0-367-61821-6 (Hbk)
ISBN: 978-1-003-10670-8 (eBook)
DOI: 10.1201/9781003106708
https://doi.org/10.1201/9781003106708
Contents

FOREWORD ix
—J. Runge, A. Guézéré & L. Kankpénandja
CONTRIBUTORS xi
CHAPTER 1 WORKSHOP ON NATURAL RESOURCES, SOCIO­
ECOLOGICAL SENSITIVITY AND CLIMATE CHANGE
IN THE VOLTA-OTI BASIN – A BRIEF OUTLINE 1
—J. Runge, A. Guézéré & L. Kankpénandja
CHAPTER 2 GEOLOGICAL AND GEOMORPHOLOGICAL ASPECTS
OF INFRASTRUCTURE PROJECTS IN TOGO 9
—J. Runge
CHAPTER 3 HAEMATITE IRON ORE DEPOSITS, ENVIRONMENTAL
PROBLEMS AND ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT
IN BANDJELI, NORTHERN TOGO 27
—L. Carstens & J. Runge
CHAPTER 4 A MULTI-CRITERIA APPROACH FOR CO
2
REDUCTION THROUGH CLIMATE-FRIENDLY
MATERIAL SELECTION: HOUSING CONSTRUCTION
IN THE VOLTA BASIN, GHANA 39
—G. Sarpong-Nsiah
CHAPTER 5 GEOMORPHIC ASPECTS OF SLOPE EROSION IN
URBAN AREAS OF BOUNA IN THE BLACK VOLTA
RIVER BASIN, IVORY COAST 61
—S. Kambire, B. Kambire & N.P. Dangui
CHAPTER 6 IMPACT OF HUMANS ON TROPICAL LANDSCAPES:
THE CHALLENGE OF SOIL EROSION FOR RURAL
DEVELOPMENT IN THE BLACK VOLTA RIVER
BASIN, IVORY COAST 69
—S. Kambire, K.A. Alla & B. Kambire
vi Contents
CHAPTER 7 STAKEHOLDERS’ PERCEPTIONS AND STRATEGIES
TO CLIMATE CHANGE RESILIENCE IN KARA AND
DAPAONG, TOGO 85
—E.Ouro Bitasse, Y. Moutoré & G. Dansoip
CHAPTER 8 TRADITIONAL AGROFORESTRY IN NORTHERN
BENIN AND TOGO AND ITS CONTRIBUTION TO
CLIMATE RESILIENCE 97
—J.B.K. Vodounou
CHAPTER 9 CLIMATE CHANGE AND SOIL VULNERABILITY
UNDER ANTHROPOGENIC IMPACT ON THE
DAPAONG-BOMBOUAKA ESCARPMENTS IN
NORTHERN TOGO 109
—L. Kankpénandja, D. Bawa, B. Afo, T.Y. Gnongbo &
A.B. Blivi
CHAPTER 10 IMPACTS OF CLIMATE CHANGE ON PLANT
ADAPTATION AND FLORISTIC COMPOSITION IN
THE KPENDJAL PREFECTURE IN NORTHERN TOGO 123
—M. Djangbedja
CHAPTER 11 CLIMATE CHANGE AND AGRICULTURAL
ORGANISATIONS IN TOGO: COMPARATIVE
ANALYSIS OF COOPERATIVES IN OGOU
PREFECTURE, ATAKPAMÉ, PLATEAU REGION 139
—K.M. Flevi & M. Nantob
CHAPTER 12 PRELIMINARY RESULTS OF SPATIOTEMPORAL
MAPPING OF VEGETATION AND LAND USE
PATTERNS IN THE ASSOLI PREFECTURE, KARA
REGION, TOGO 151
—I. Djeri, Z. Koumoï & T. Soussou
CHAPTER 13 VULNERABILITY OF AGRICULTURAL SYSTEMS
TOWARDS RAINFALL VARIABILITY BETWEEN 1965
AND 2014 IN NORTHERN TOGO 161
—T. Lamboni & S. Hombre
CHAPTER 14 VEGETATION COVER, LAND USE DYNAMICS (1988­
2015) AND FUTURE PERSPECTIVES OF
SUSTAINABLE MANAGEMENT STRATEGIES IN THE
OTI CATCHMENT IN BENIN 179
—K.T. Souberou, I.F. Yabi & E. Ogouwale
Contents vii
CHAPTER 15 GOVERNANCE OF THE PENDJARI BIOSPHERE
RESERVE IN VIEW OF CLIMATE VARIABILITY 199
—H.B.M. Gbénahou & K. Sokemawu
CHAPTER 16 CLIMATIC FACTORS OF SOIL DEGRADATION AND
ADAPTATION MEASURES OF STAKEHOLDERS IN
THE OTI PLAIN IN BENIN 221
—I.F. Ouorou Barre, M.S. Issa, I. Yabi & E. Ogouwale
CHAPTER 17 CHANGES IN VEGETATION COVER AND LAND
DEGRADATION BETWEEN 1992–2018 EVIDENCED BY
LANDSAT DATA IN THE SUBURB OF KOUBRI,
OUAGADOUGOU, BURKINA FASO 233
—J. Ouedraogo & C.E.D. Da
CHAPTER 18 FOOD INSECURITY AND HOUSEHOLD
ADAPTABILITY IN RAPIDLY CHANGING
INFORMAL DISTRICTS OF OUAGADOUGOU,
BURKINA FASO 249
—S. Rouamba

Foreword

Ecosystem fragmentation and deforestation in West Africa are mainly triggered by
humans. Peasants’ agriculture and widespread forest disturbances for charcoal and
firewood production cause severe landscape degradation. Increasing population pres­
sure, reduced carrying capacity, ecological perturbations by demand for agricultural
land lead to the decline of land conservation capacities, even in protected areas like
in the Pendjari Biosphere Reserve in Benin. The complexity of interactions between
environmental and sensitive socio-ecological systems, often with unexpected and
unsustainable side effects, has raised international awareness in light of ongoing cli­
mate change. By the example of natural resources, land use and stakeholders’ per­
ceptions within the Volta-Oti Basin this collection of papers and proceedings
presents, discusses and distributes new findings that will sustainably stimulate the
international debate. This volume also intends to overcome national borders and
language barriers between Anglophone and Francophone research communities, and
supports better West African cooperation and networking. Young as well as estab­
lished researchers formed new collaborations, and the workshop at the University
of Kara (Togo) was a truly unique opportunity for all involved, not only to discuss
science, but also to assess applied and best future management practices for the
Volta-Oti Basin in West Africa.
The book presents 18 papers of an interdisciplinary and international workshop
supported by the German Volkswagen Stiftung (funding line ‘Knowledge for
Tomorrow’) on the topic of ‘Natural Resources, Socio-Ecological Sensitivity and
Climate Change in the Volta-Oti Basin’ in West Africa. All the articles are in prin­
ciple of regional interest, but they are embedded in the wider global environmental
context.
The workshop with almost 100 participants was jointly organised by Goethe-Uni­
versity Frankfurt (Germany) and the University of Kara (Togo), held from March
6 to 8, 2019 in northern Togo. It was a visible sign of the 2016 signed partnership
agreement between Frankfurt and Kara. Naturally, the overall quality of such pro­
ceedings was quite diverse. However, the event aimed to strengthen capacities of
junior scientists from the West African sub-region, exchange and mobilise theoret­
ical and methodological background from various scientific fields (Botany, Con­
struction, Geology, Geography, Infrastructure, Politics, Remote Sensing, Sociology
and Urban Planning). One goal was to deliver reliable elements for ongoing and
profound environmental analyses that lie outside the common questions of the aca­
demic and civil society stakeholders.
We would like to express our gratitude to Volkswagen Stiftung for generously fund­
ing the event. It helped to overcome traditional boundaries between disciplines. Par­
ticularly we like to thank Linda Carstens for reliable support of the conference office,
and for her tireless assistance in editing conference contributions. Sincere thanks also
to the administration of the University of Kara, more particularly to the President Pro­
fessor Komla Sanda for premises and logistic support. Representatively for all con­
tributors to the project, we like to mention and thank the assistance of Nanoini