Drivers of the competing use of land: the case study of the peripheral zone of the National Park W, Benin Republic

The National Park of W is a nature reserve shared between Burkina Faso, Niger and Benin and where nature, pastoralism and crop production compete for the use of land and water. The present study aims at assessing the extent of the competition for land and water in the zone adjacent to the park and to analyze some important drivers. Data were collected from secondary literature and interviews with pastoralists, farmers and park authorities. It was found that the increase of cotton cultivation put pressure on crop lands and grazing lands for production of food crops and livestock grazing. This was facilitated by the introduction of animal-drawn cultivation and conversion of the banks of the Niger River from communal grazing lands with access to water to crop lands. Traditional grazing lands are also converted to crop lands to feed the growing population. As a result pastoralists moved illegally inside the park to sustain the feed of the animals, as well as some crop farmers. After a reinforcement of the park management laws by rangers, that forbidden grazing inside the park, grazing lands largely diminished and the total number of livestock of pastoralists in the region has declined. Since livestock is still important for livelihood of smallholders and for sustainable food crop production, there is a need for innovative strategies to integrate crop production, livestock production and conservation. Key-words: West Africa, National Park of W, competing use, drivers, pastoralism, livestock, crop production, conservation.