Assessment of Contour Bunding Technology for Improved Land and Water Management in Mali

Abstract

This research was carried out in three agro-climatic regions of Mali (Mopti, Koulikoro and Sikasso) to assess contour bunding technology (CBT) for improved land and water management. Reference was made to existing literature and field surveys were conducted following georeferencing and quantification of existing land and water management technologies. Farmers’ perceptions towards the use of the most commonly applied technologies were assessed. Results indicate that CBT is widely adopted in farmers’ fields to improve the management of land and water resources. CBT was first introduced in 1993 by the Institut d’Economie Rurale (IER) in Mali and Centre de Coopération Internationale en Recherche Agronomique pour le Développement (CIRAD). Up until 2013 the total area of farmland covered with CBT in the three regions was1750 ha. There is a lot of variation in CBT distribution across the three regions with the implication that its adoption increases when the production system is more favourable and there is more rainfall. Farmers have positive perceptions towards the application of CBT in their farmlands. Large proportions of farmers (81%) perceived that soil and water were conserved at a very high or high rate with the use of CBT. In the area of CBT application gullies were reduced at a rate of 73%. Similarly soil fertility was maintained at a rate of 84% at a very high or high rate. Furthermore, with the availability of existing land and water management practices in their farmland 82% of the farmers’ responded with success stories mainly to do with better water availability, improvements in crop yield and soil fertility