TITLE:
Migration Dynamics and Recomposition of Agricultural Landscapes in the Municipality of Ouesse in Central Benin
AUTHORS:
Louis Dèdègbê Ahomadikpohou
KEYWORDS:
Ouèssè, Migratory Dynamics, Agricultural Landscapes, Access to Land
JOURNAL NAME:
Journal of Environmental Protection,
Vol.17 No.11,
November
12,
2026
ABSTRACT: Migration patterns are a major factor in the transformation of rural areas in Benin. This study analyzes the influence of agricultural migration flows on the reshaping of agricultural landscapes in the municipality of Ouèssè. The methodology combines the use of demographic data from the National Institute of Statistics and Demography (INStaD), diachronic analysis of satellite imagery, and questionnaire surveys of 307 farming households. The results reveal a significant increase in the proportion of agricultural migrants, rising from 13% in 2002 to 38% in 2025, driven by land accessibility and proximity to Nigerian markets. Spatially, the transition matrix highlights a strong agricultural presence: cultivated and fallow land units increased from 26.4% to 40.1% of the municipality’s territory, expanding primarily at the expense of wooded and shrubby savanna formations, which decreased from 55.8% to 39.8%. Access to land remains asymmetrical, dominated by inheritance among indigenous populations (63%) and by purchase through monetary means among migrants (48%). These landscape changes call for a strengthening of local land governance to guarantee sustainable agricultural development and mitigate human pressures on ecosystems.