Abstract
With mechanized farming in sudanian climate terroirs (maize, cotton), legumes associated with hardy cereals have both declined. Taking the case of south-west Burkina Faso (social transect of 8 villages, 3 lowlands), on the basis of recent detailed data at individual and farm level, the paper explores the status of legumes, variations and drivers. In fields on dry soils, legumes are still grown in pure stand or in associations, but have fallen since the 1970s, especially in "bush fields". Even cash cropping of groundnuts has given way to cotton. Small non-cotton farms and women still rely on legumes. Large farms have limited them to their food needs, but are testing soybeans, in association or rotation with cotton and maize. Farms disappointed with cotton are interested in groundnut and cowpea in pure stand.