Position

PhD Student

Home institution

Doctoral School of Agronomic and Water Sciences / University of Abomey-Calavi

Background 

• Ir. Management of Natural Resources;
• Licence ès-Sciences Naturelles ;
• Msc. Sciences du Sol

Research project

In Benin, declining crop yields and food insecurity are consequences of land degradation due to variability and climate change but also to the way farmers use agricultural land. Agroforestry therefore represents one of the technologies suitable for land restoration and adaptation to variability and climate change to improve crop yields. Consequently, it is so important to review the use of agroforestry species throughout factors that hamper the species population dynamics. Thus we will (i) evaluate ethnobotanical knowledge on agroforestry species with high soil fertilization potential, (ii) evaluate the influence of key agroforestry species on soil macrofauna, soil physical and chemical properties and the dynamic of organic matter mineralization (iii) identify pedo-climatic and anthropic factors determining aerial biomass dynamic of key agroforestry species, (iv) determine current and future suitable areas for the cultivation and conservation of key agroforestry species and (v) identify the adequate multiplication modes of key agroforestry species with high soil fertilization potential. The project will be carried out in the Center-Benin region (agro-ecological zone V), where the various activities will be carried out in five localities Djidja, Dassa-Zoumé, Glazoué, Bantè and Ouessè.