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Agroecology is considered a science, a practice and a social movement, which shows the centrality of research in agroecology development. Interest in agroecology has been shown in many developing countries such as Burkina Faso and Niger. Therefore, this paper analyses the state of research on agroecology in Burkina Faso and Niger, by drawing upon a search of scholarly publications performed in June 2021 on the Web of Science. The analysis of the scholarly literature suggests that the scientific component of agroecology is underdeveloped in both countries. Despite the recurring discourse on agroecology in West Africa, quality research is far below expectation and this might hamper the development of the agroecological movement as well as the documentation and dissemination of agroecological practices. Agroecology is presented as an instrument to address several environmental (e.g. biodiversity loss, land degradation), social (e.g. food insecurity) and economic (e.g. unemployment, poverty) challenges. Indeed, agroecology could contribute to food security, biodiversity conservation and rural livelihoods. The literature also highlights that agroecological management is knowledge-intensive so farmers' capacities need to be strengthened to increase the adoption of agroecological practices. Agroecology is also labour intensive, which can increase its contribution to local economies and livelihoods (cf. employment) but could also hamper its adoption where there is limited labour availability. Further research is needed to foster agroecological transition in Burkina Faso and Niger, which is fundamental to move towards sustainable agriculture and food systems that ensure food and nutrition security without undermining the fragile natural resource base. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

A growing body of evidence shows the strong linkages between biodiversity and food and nutrition security. However, there is a gap in knowledge on such linkages in developing countries, which are more affected by food insecurity and malnutrition. Moreover, it is not clear what are the implications of the ongoing biodiversity loss for food security and nutrition. In this context, the present review analyses the state of research on the nexus between biodiversity, diets and nutrition security in Burkina Faso and Niger. It draws upon a search of scholarly literature indexed in the Web of Science. The review suggests that there is a huge gap in research on this topic in both countries. In general, the literature shows a positive association between biodiversity and dietary diversity, nutrition and food security. Indeed, dietary diversity is affected by the variety of farm crops and animals, as well as foraged wild plants and trees. The pathways linking biodiversity and diets are context-specific. The effects of cropland expansion on dietary diversity are mixed and depend on farming systems diversity. The contribution of agrobiodiversity to nutrition is affected by the nutritional quality of products. Moreover, traditional knowledge plays a central role as an interface between biodiversity and dietary/food diversity. This review suggests that biodiversity is necessary for dietary diversity and nutrition security. Although still small, the existing body of evidence supports investments in agrobiodiversity to address food insecurity and malnutrition in Burkina Faso and Niger. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Biodiversity loss is a pressing challenge. This is particularly so in regions where the pressure on ecosystems is high such as in the Sahel region. This pressure is due, inter alia, to different land uses such as pastoralism. In this context, the present systematic review analyses the state of research on the nexus between pastoralism and biodiversity in West Africa. In particular, it explores the relationships between pastoralism (cf. agro-pastoralism, sylvo-pastoralism, agro-sylvo-pastoralism), on the one hand, and plant diversity, animal diversity, and ecosystem diversity, on the other hand. The paper also analyses the bibliometrics of the research field. A search performed in March 2021 on the Web of Science yielded 205 documents and 73 of them were included in the systematic review. The bibliometric analysis suggests an increasing interest in the research field, especially in Burkina Faso and Benin, but also the weakness of the domestic research system as a large share of the selected documents is authored by researchers based outside West Africa. In general, the scholarly literature shows a negative impact of pastoralism on plant diversity (cf. richness, abundance, composition) and animal diversity (cf. wild herbivorous mammals, predators, birds, insects) in West Africa. However, the literature analysis suggests that the effects of pastoralism are rather mixed. They are context-specific and depend on many factors such as grazing intensity and livestock species. The effects on plant diversity differ between woody (trees and shrubs) and herbaceous species. There is a general trend towards the erosion of indigenous livestock genetic diversity due to uncontrolled mating and cross-breeding. The impacts of pastoralism on ecosystem diversity are mainly due to changes in land use and habitat fragmentation. Further multi-country, comparative studies are needed to better qualify the interactions, complementarities and possible conflicts between the different pastoralism-related land uses and biodiversity conservation in West Africa. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Agriculture still plays an important socio-economic role in Burkina Faso and Niger. However, the agriculture sector faces several difficulties and both countries still suffer from food insecurity and malnutrition. Therefore, there is an urgent need to develop the agricultural sector. Extension and advisory services are widely recognised as an essential instrument for agriculture development. Therefore, the present review analyses the state of research on extension and advisory services in Burkina Faso and Niger. It draws upon a search performed in June 2021 on the Web of Science. The analysis of the scholarly literature suggests a gap in the research field. The modernisation of the extension system implied the co-existence of different extension approaches, from the public training and visit (T&V) extension program to various participatory advisory approaches such as Farmer Field Schools (FFS), with different levels of involvement of the private sector and NGOs. Modern advisory services stress the centrality of farmers' participation and experiential and social learning. A prominent feature of modern advisory services is their focus on innovation development rather than the linear transfer of knowledge and technologies. The modernisation of extension services has implied an increase in ICT use. Proposals to improve advisory services performance include building extension staff's capacity, increasing funding, creating an enabling institutional environment and fostering farmers' participation. Strengthening the extension system is essential to foster the sustainable development of agriculture in Burkina Faso and Niger in the face of climate change, which, in turn, is vital to achieving sustainable food and nutrition security. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Climate change is one of the most pressing challenges facing humanity in the Anthropocene era. It is widely admitted that climate change will have farreaching impacts including on food security. Therefore, this review paper analyses the multifaceted relations between climate change and food security. In particular, the paper explores the impacts of climate change on the four dimensions of food security (i.e. food availability, food access, food utilization, stability). It draws upon a review of scholarly literature indexed in the Web of Science. The analysis of the literature shows that there is a dual relationship between climate change and food security; on the one hand, climate change affects all the dimensions of food security and, on the other hand, the quest for food security has implications in terms of climate change. As for food availability and supply, climate change is widely believed to reduce crop yields and livestock productivity especially in the countries of the Global South. Effects on food production and availability as well as the impacts of extreme climate events affect both food physical and economic accessibility. The changes in production systems induced by climate change may induce changes in dietary patterns and food utilization. Climate change will also affect the stability and resilience of food systems with consequences in terms of long-term food security. Moreover, the quest for food security, through agricultural intensification and agricultural land expansion, increases greenhouse gas emissions from deforestation and land use changes. The intricate relation between climate change and food security makes the case for integrated policies that maximise co-benefits while addressing trade-offs. That is fundamental to make sure that 'climate action' will not jeopardize the achievement of 'zero hunger' and vice-versa. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]