Biomass flows in an agro-pastoral village in West-Africa: Who benefits from crop residue mulching?

In West Africa, new management practices such as conservation agriculture with crop residue mulching can improve yields for individual farmers. However, in a context of complex social interactions between farmers, the introduction also lead to conflicts private interests and communal use resources, example free grazing residues. The objective this paper was assess ex-ante impacts practice on productivity village central Burkina Faso using an agent-based model, AMBAWA, that simulates flows biomass nutrients livestock systems at scale. model considers four types farmers were identified study site: subsistence-oriented market-oriented agro-pastoralists pastoralists. simulated increased cattle migration outside due scarcity during dry season proportions cropland under agriculture, decreasing manure availability Consequently, assumed direct yield increases soil moisture result did not compensate losses resulting from lesser amounts available. This effect felt most strongly by who own relatively large numbers (agro-pastoralists pastoralists). total maize production level depended more proportion cropping land available cattle, thus mulched, than possible per se. AMBAWA support discussion among stakeholders (farmers, traditional administrative authorities) are involved residues other order co-design effective arrangements their sustainable use.