Burkina Faso Ministry of the Environment, Green Economy, and Climate Change

Sustainable human development is the fundamental indicator of a nation’s prosperity, as it integrates both economic growth and social progress. Access to equitable and sustainable energy is an essential pillar for achieving this development. This access has a direct impact on improving people’s quality of life. Indeed, it significantly increases well-being, particularly in developing countries. However, research on this relationship is still scarce in developing countries. To fill this gap in the literature, this study focuses on analyzing the effects of renewable energy production and consumption on sustainable human development, as measured by the human development index, sustainable development index, gross domestic product per capita, life expectancy and gross primary school enrollment rate. The analyses were carried out on a panel of seven West African Economic and Monetary Union (WAEMU) countries from 2007 to 2022. The results obtained using the panel-corrected standard error (PCSE) technique and Driscoll–Kraay method reveal that renewable energy has a positive and significant impact on sustainable human development. These results were robust when the two-stage least squares method with instrumental variables (IV-2SLS) was used to specifically correct the potential problem of endogeneity. These findings encourage decision makers to further promote renewable energy initiatives in West African Economic and Monetary Union countries. Governments should prioritize investment in cleaner renewable energy technologies to preserve the environment, stimulate economic development and ensure a sustainable energy supply, which is essential for sustainable human development.

Contexte : La transhumance constitue une pratique courante de l’élevage au Burkina Faso. Cependant, les éleveurs sont confrontés à plusieurs difficultés liées à cette pratique. Objectif : Cette étude visait à contribuer à l’analyse des défis spécifiques auxquels sont confrontés les éleveurs transhumants au Burkina Faso. Méthodes : Une enquête a été menée auprès de 231 éleveurs afin d’identifier les contraintes liées à la transhumance et différenciées selon leur statut défini en fonction de leur niveau de mobilité et de leur ancrage territorial (éleveurs déplacés internes, agropasteurs migrants, agropasteurs natifs). L’étude a combiné une analyse factorielle, une modélisation en réseau et une régression logistique multinomiale afin d’explorer ces difficultés associées à la transhumance. Résultats : Les principales contraintes sont l’obstruction des pistes à bétail (62,5 % de l’ensemble des enquêtés), les conflits (37,5 %) et le banditisme (12,5 %). Les contraintes sécuritaires et infrastructurelles sont dominantes, tandis que les défis administratifs et sanitaires sont considérés comme secondaires. En outre, les contraintes liées à la transhumance affectent les éleveurs de manière différenciée selon leur statut. Les conflits constituent la principale contrainte de tous les éleveurs enquêtés. Les déplacés internes et les natifs sont également affectés par le banditisme et le déficit en ressources naturelles, et les migrants par l’obstruction des pistes à bétail, la fermeture des frontière et la non-prise en compte du certificat international de transhumance. Conclusions : Ces résultats soulignent l’urgence de mettre en oeuvre des interventions ciblées visant à sécuriser les couloirs de transhumance et à lever les barrières administratives, tout en intégrant des solutions durables en faveur des populations pastorales vulnérables. Une approche multisectorielle s’avère essentielle pour répondre aux défis sécuritaires, infrastructurels et sociopolitiques.

The aim of this study was to assess the agro-morphological diversity of Ceratotheca sesamoides accessions in Burkina Faso. A series of 49 accessions from four regions of Burkina Faso in two different climatic zones were studied. A randomised Fisher block design with three replications was used to set up the experiment. The study revealed the existence of agro-morphological variability within the Ceratotheca sesamoides species during plant development. This variability was most notable in stem colour, stem pubescence and leaf shape and margin. The difference between accessions in terms of qualitative characteristics was confirmed by the chi-2 test. Multiple Correspondence Analysis (MCA) on the basis of the qualitative and quantitative variables was used to divide the 49 accessions into four groups on the basis of their differences due to the diversity of the species in Burkina Faso. Each of the groups obtained contains accessions with specific characteristics linked to the harvesting area and performance. For example, group 1 obtained from the MCA contained variables with better leaf biomass and length performance.

Sustainable soil management became a major concern for rice farming in Burkina Faso. Rained rice production offers potential thanks to the national rice policy oriented towards the developing of lowlands. However, effective soil fertility management through the promotion of good agricultural practices is essential in this agricultural area to meet the goal. It involves the evaluation of the land, as it can provide important information on which to base rational decisions on land management. A study was carried out in order to promote soil fertility sustainable management on two rice-growing lowlands in the province of Ziro. The soils of the sites were characterized and sampled for the physicochemical parameters analysis. The suitability of the soils for rice cropping was thus assessed. It emerges from the study that the dominant soils in the developed rice lowlands are hydromorphic soils. The hydromorphic soils are suitable types of soils for rice production. The results on the physical parameters show that the soils of the lowlands mainly have a coarse surface texture. The organic matter content is low and the pH values vary from weakly to very strongly acidic. The useful soil water reserve is medium to high. The contents of the major nutrients (N, P and K) are very low as are the values of the CEC, which indicates a low level of chemical fertility of the soils according to the complete range. The evaluation of rice lowlands revealed that soils are moderately suitable for rice production and their major constraint is the availability of nutrients. Current producer practices related to soil fertility management are unfavorable to sustainable land management. The study shows the need for appropriate crop fertilization, better management of crop residues and periodic monitoring of fertility essential parameters for the sustainability of soil productivity.

Aims: Cancer is a major public health problem worldwide and in Burkina Faso. This study aimed to evaluate the cytotoxic and anti-inflammatory properties of ACPHYX and CHRYFA, two medicinal plant recipes used against inflammatory diseases in traditional medicine in Burkina Faso. Study Design: The anti-inflammatory and anti-proliferative activity on prostate and cervical cancer cells of a recipe orients on its possible anti-cancer properties. Then would help to realize ethnopharmacological evidence study for its validation or not as a phytomedicine against prostate or cervical cancer. Place and Duration of Study: The studies were carried out in the laboratories of the Pietro Anignoni Biomolecular Research Center (CERBA) and the Health Sciences Research Institute (IRSS/CNRST) from December 2021 to March 2023 in Burkina Faso. Methodology: An aqueous decoction of ACPHYX recipe and CHRYFA recipe, were made. The phytochemical groups of interest and the phenolic compound content of the extracts were determined. The antioxidant test was performed by the DPPH and FRAP methods. The cytotoxic activity on cancer cells was evaluated by the MTT test. Anti-inflammatory activity was assessed by pro-inflammatory enzyme inhibition tests (15-lipoxygenase, cyclooxygenases), anti-edema and antihistamine tests. Results: ACPHYX decoction showed the best antioxidant activity by DPPH method (IC50 of 12.80 ± 0.5μg/mL). The chelation capacity evaluated by FRAP method was also better with ACPHYX decoction (1.94 ± 0.296 mmol EAA/g). ACPHYX decoction also showed the best cytotoxic activity on prostate cancer DU145 cells (175.5 ± 3.79 μg/mL) and cervical cancer HeLa cells (302.5 ± 64.36 μg/mL). In vitro, the extracts inhibited 60% edema at 400 mg/kg dose and 79.32% scratching inhibition at 600 mg/kg dose. Conclusion: The strongest anti-inflammatory activity in vitro and in vivo was observed with ACPHYX extract. ACPHYX recipe compared to CHRYFA showed better cytotoxic and anti-inflammatory properties. Its use could help to treat tumor and inflammatory conditions through further studies.

Greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions from prescribed fires are poorly investigated, resulting in a high uncertainty in GHG budgets. Using, a carbon mass balance approach and experimental prescribed fires in 80 plots, this study assessed carbon emissions and established emission factors (EFs) for carbon dioxides (CO2), carbon monoxide (CO), and methane (CH4) across climate zones and vegetation types. In grass and shrub savannas, fires could burn intensely due to the lower moisture content and continuous spatial distribution of biomass fuel, causing greater carbon emissions with 1.61 ± 0.13 t C ha−1 and 1.01 ± 0.13 t C ha−1, respectively. Despite their low carbon emissions, tree savannas (1658.17 ± 11.13 g kg−1) and woodlands (1629.94 ± 12.23 g kg−1) have the highest EFs, which can be attribute to the high carbon content of biomass fuel in these vegetation types. Vegetation types and their interaction with climate zones have a substantial impact on carbon emissions and carbon species EFs, and should therefore be considered in assessing GHG emissions from fires. The findings from this study provide a useful basis for improving the national measurement, reporting, and verification of GHG emissions and for improving the measurement of the global balance of GHG emissions from fires.