Effect of agricultural diversification on food security in Burkina Faso: A conditional mixed process approach

Magliore Thiombiano & Abdoul Rahmane Ouedraogo

Abstract
Food security remains a major challenge in Burkina Faso, despite national and international commitments to reverse it. This paper evaluates the effect of the combined diversification of cash crops and food crops on the food security of rural farming households in Burkina Faso. To achieve this, the conditional mixed process (CMP) model was employed on survey data collected from 210 rural farming households in the Zytenga municipality. The results show that the combined diversification of cash crops and food crops improves the level of food security. Furthermore, the findings indicate that variables such as livestock practices and the timing of the agricultural season influence the food security levels of rural farming households. These results underscore the necessity of actively promoting integrated agricultural diversification, particularly the combination of cash crops and food crops, as a strategic lever to strengthen food security and resilience among rural households.