Socioeconomic and environmental challenges in Burkina Faso a landlocked country in Sahel, West Africa

Abstract

Being the fourth biggest gold producer is Burkina Faso very limited on other natural resources, such as water, fertile farmland, forests and minerals (beside gold and manganese), but rich on young people. Since the population rate is 2,8%(2014) is almost half of the population less than 15 years old. Most people; 80% of the population make their living as farmers, but has a hard time to develop the agricultural sector, partly due to the fact that the land reform has not been done everywhere in the country, which makes it hard to get loans and to do long term investments.

Finally Burkina Faso borders Mali, which unstable peace situation, makes refugees and also terrorists’ threats become more common.

Being one of the poorest countries in the world, Burkina Faso is well organized and has so far invested in suitable technology, both big and small dam constructions, antierosive technics, solar and thermic energy, mobile telephones, which also allow mobile banking, for example and mobile internet connections are possible in almost the whole country. 

Bye showing some examples I hope to introduce an interesting discussion, which could maybe aim to technology cooperation and transfer and also help out Burkina Faso of the poverty.