[African agriculture faced with global changes: researches and innovations based on ecological sciences]

Abstract

In the context of environmental and socio-economic changes, the agriculture of Sub-Saharan African countries will have to ensure food security of the population, while reducing its environmental footprint. The biophysical and social systems of agricultural production are complex. Innovative agricultural practices will be based on an intensification of ecological processes that determine the functioning of the soil-plant system, farmers' fields and agro-ecosystems. This ecological engineering approach is useful to take up the challenge of Sub-Saharan agricultures in the future, as shown in researches conducted by IESOL International Joint Lab "Intensification of agricultural soils in West Africa" (ISRA, UCAD, TU, OU, INERA, IRD).

Keywords: Afrique de l’Ouest; Agro-ecology; Agro-écologie; Agroforesterie; Agroforestry; Compost; Soils; Sols; West Africa; Zai; Zaï.