The Impact of Soil Degradation on Agricultural Production and Food Security in Burkina Faso

Based on a Computable General Equilibrium (CGE) model, the study examines the impact of land degradation on agricultural production and food security using three policy approaches: irrigation schemes, subsidies for agricultural inputs and equipment, and rural infrastructure development (roads and rural markets). These agricultural investment policies are funded through a combination of direct taxes and assistance from technical and financial partners. The results show that land degradation in Burkina Faso lowers Real Gross Domestic Product. Indeed, the agricultural policies that have been implemented have effectively reversed the negative effects of land degradation on the agricultural sector. However, agricultural policies such as improving the rural road network, expanding irrigation capacities and reducing costs of acquiring chemical fertilizers and farm equipment are costeffective measures for farmers. The results show that in the face of production supply constraints emanating from the declining land productivity, the government could, in the short and medium term, focus on extending irrigation schemes and subsidizing agricultural inputs and equipment.