In West Africa, a shift in climate conditions since the 1970s is evidenced by a decrease in average annual rainfall and an increase in temperatures between 1931–1960 and 1968–1990. The latter period was followed by a rainfall recovery since the late 1990s in the western Sahel. The prolonged rainfall deficits of the twentieth century have, however, strongly influenced the hydrological environment of the major river basins. As a result, nowadays, there is a reduction in the vegetation cover as compared to the early 1950s, thus an increase in runoff, along with the gradual disappearance of permanent streams and the appearance of large floodplains. Climate change has also had negative consequences on agricultural activity, which is still mainly rainfed. The current state has motivated local stakeholders to undertake programs and strategies to address the consequences of climate change. In this chapter, an inventory of water resources and management practices in Burkina Faso is presented and the impacts of climate change on the river hydrology and the agricultural sector, as well as adaptation measures to these changes by the affected communities, are investigated. These strategies include adaptation, mitigation and strategic planning. The impacts on all stakeholders, including the rural communities, government authorities and international agencies, are discussed.

Agriculture, Burkina faso, climate change