Overestimating Land Degradation, Underestimating Farmers in the Sahel

This issue paper explores the evidence for land degradation in Burkina Faso to question whether local farming practices are indeed as unsustainable and environmentally destructive as many reports suggest. It includes a quantitative analysis of agricultural productivity and soil fertility to investigate the evidence for land degradation and a discussion of local land management practices and social networks, and how they may contribute to sustainability and productivity.