Gestion du risque climatique : les déterminants des stratégies d’adaptation des agriculteurs en Afrique Subsaharienne

This article is a review of the literature on the determinants of farmers’ adaptation choice in sub-Saharan Africa. A set of studies has highlighted the existence of inequalities in adaptation at local level that suggests paying more attention to its micro determinants. Maddison (2007) emphasizes the importance of the perception of agricultural change in the adaptation process. Paradoxically, a recent literature shows that farmers have a good perception of climate change but do not really engage in adaptation strategies even when financial or institutional resources are not binding. This paradox suggests that beliefs, prone to develop in uncertain contexts, play an important role in the choice of adaptation. The specificity of the sub-Saharan households’ beliefs must be considered in policies aimed at developing adaptation.