Water Harvesting Systems among Smallholder Farmers in Burkina Faso's Semi-Arid Zones: A Systematic Review

Water harvesting systems have been adopted by smallholder farmers in Burkina Faso's semi-arid zones to mitigate water scarcity and improve agricultural productivity. A comprehensive search was conducted in databases such as Web of Science, Scopus, and Google Scholar. Studies were screened using PRISMA guidelines, with a focus on articles published between and . Among the reviewed studies (N = 45), approximately 60% reported significant improvements in crop yields when water harvesting systems were employed compared to non-harvested areas. However, only 25% of farmers experienced maintenance issues that affected system longevity. Water harvesting systems have shown promise for enhancing agricultural productivity in Burkina Faso's semi-arid regions, though challenges related to maintenance and sustainability require further investigation. Future research should focus on developing more durable water harvesting technologies and exploring the economic viability of these systems at a larger scale.