(LB02-26-26) Community and Stakeholder Perspectives on Climate Change, Food Security, and Climate-Smart Agriculture in Rural Burkina Faso

Sunday, July 26, 2026

9:30 AM - 10:30 AM ET

Location: Poster Board E-90

Presenting Author(s)

Isabel Madzorera, Dr

Assistant Professor
University of California, Berkeley
Oakland, California, United States

Co-Author(s)

GC

Guillaume Compaore

Nouna Health Research Center (CRSN)
WF

Wafaie W. Fawzi, MBBS. DrPH (he/him/his)

Professor
Harvard T.H. Chan School of Public Health
Boston, Massachusetts, United States
AJ

Alma Juarez Armenta

Division of Community Health Sciences, School of Public Health, University of California, Berkeley, Berkeley, California, USA, United States
MO

Moussa Ouédraogo

1Nouna Health Research Center, Nouna, Burkina Faso, Burkina Faso
AS

Ali Sie, MD, Phd

Nouna Health Research Center (CRSN)
Nouna, Kossi, Burkina Faso
BT

Biniyam Tesfaye

Division of Community Health Sciences, School of Public Health, University of California, Berkeley, Berkeley, California, USA, United States
BY

Barry Yllassa

Nouna Health Research Center, Nouna, Burkina Faso, Burkina Faso
FZ

Fanta Zerbo

Nouna Health Research Center, Nouna, Burkina Faso, Burkina Faso

Disclosure(s):

Isabel Madzorera, Dr: No relevant financial relationship(s) with ineligible companies to disclose.

Objectives: Burkina Faso, located in the Sahel region, is projected to experience temperature increases of 1.4-1.6°C by 2050. Climate variability affects agricultural productivity and nutrition, highlighting the importance of climate-smart adaptation. We explored local perceptions of climate change, their impacts on food security, and adaptation practices in rural Burkina Faso.

Methods: We conducted nine gender-stratified focus group discussions (FGDs), involving 38 men and 32 women in four farming villages in Nouna, Burkina Faso, that reported exposure to floods or droughts in the preceding three years. We conducted nine key informant interviews with stakeholders. Data were collected using semi-structured questionnaires in local languages between September and October 2025. Interviews were voice-recorded, transcribed and translated into French, then into English. Deductive and inductive thematic approaches were used aided by Microsoft Excel.

Results: FGD data were collected from 38 men and 32 women. Analysis identified five thematic areas. 1) Perceptions of climate change: Farmers reported frequent heat waves, droughts, floods, and shorter rainy seasons that adversely affected crops and livestock. 2) Impacts of extreme heat: Respondents linked extreme heat to increased illnesses. 3) Impacts on agriculture and food security: Climate shocks reduced crop yields and increased food prices and food insecurity for households, leading to reduced meal frequency and child malnutrition. Households sold productive assets and livestock to buy food, undermining livelihoods. 4) Indigenous climate-resilient practices: Farmers practiced traditional climate-adaptive practices, including no-till farming and Zai pits. 5) Climate-smart agriculture adoption: Despite awareness of climate-resilient varieties for maize, sorghum, millet, and cowpeas, farmers’ adoption was hindered by limited access to agricultural inputs, improved seeds, resources, and early warning systems.

Conclusions: Participants perceived climate change and extreme heat as major threats to agriculture and food security in Burkina Faso. Communities identified indigenous and climate-smart adaptation practices and barriers to inform future community-based interventions.

Funding Sources: National Institutes of Health P20 C-EARTH grant