


































  

 

 

Full Length Research Paper 

Burundi's Access to and Use of Agricultural 
Land 

Mogul and Osman 

Research Istanbul Technical University, Istanbul, Turkey 
 

 Accepted 2 December, 2024  

The This study has studied and examined Burundi's agricultural land accessibility and utilization. Its strengths, 
weaknesses, opportunities, and threats have been examined using SWOT and SOR analysis, and several methods 
that can result in sustainable agriculture have been identified. Burundi has been noted to have a significant issue 
with the atomicity of its agricultural land. Over 40% of farming households work plots smaller than 0.25 hectares. 
The provinces with the densest populations are Kayanza and Ngozi. A total of 145.3 tons/ha of arable land are lost 
annually, and sloping hills make up 44% of the agricultural land. Arable land, however, has expanded and now 
makes up 79.17% of the nation's total area in 2018 as a result of land development projects. Regretfully, research 
indicates that throughout the past ten years, the rate of increase in agricultural output was only 2%, while the pace 
of population growth was between 2.6% and 3%. A land consolidation policy should be put into place, particularly 
in places with a high population density. To preserve soils and conserve water, it is best to bolster anti-erosion 
measures for degraded soils. By sharing strategies and tactics that will guarantee sustainable land management, 
the Burundian government and non-governmental organizations should assist the agricultural industry. 

Key words: Agricultural land, Land accessibility, Land use, SWOT and SOR analysis. 

 
INTRODUCTION 

 

 

 

 

 

African Journal of Agricultural Marketing ISSN: 2375-1061 Vol. 12 (1), pp. 001-015, December, 2024. 
Available online at www.internationalscholarsjournals.org © International Scholars Journals 

Author(s) retain the copyright of this article. 

 
 

http://www.internationalscholarsjournals.org/


 
 

 

The Burundi Burundi is a small East 
African landlocked nation with a humid tropical 
climate and steep mountains (ADB, 2022). In 
2008, there were an estimated 8,060,000 people 
living there, with 51% of them being women and 
over 90% of them residing in rural areas. It is 
estimated that 10.2 million people called Burundi 
home in 2016. Over the previous seven years, the 
population has grown at an average yearly rate of 
3% (PAM, 2016 and ISTEEBU, 2015). Burundi is 
one of the most densely inhabited nations in Africa, 
with almost 300 people per square kilometer. 
There are more than 500 persons per km2 in the 
country's central-western provinces of Kayanza 
and Bujumbura. Nearly 46% of the population is 
under the age of 15, and less than 10% of people 
live in urban areas (BM, 2019; WFP, 2016 and 
ISTEEBU, 2015).  
With over 90% of the workforce employed, 40% of 
the country's GDP, and 30% of all export earnings, 
agriculture is the backbone of the Burundian 
economy. Burundi ranked second in terms of gold 
exports (49%) and coffee exports (21%) (FSIN, 
2019). According to Grebmer et al. (2020), further 
agricultural exports include tea (8%), wheat (4%), 
processed goods (1%), and tobacco (1%).  
The Burundian agricultural system relies heavily 
on livestock, which contributes 12% of the 
country's GDP (Jeníček et al., 2016). For rural 
communities, livestock is a traditional source of 
household savings as well as a source of income, 
food, and fertilizer (Kearney, 2010). 85% of all 
households experience food insecurity, and the 
per capita income is less than $1 per day (EGAE, 
2014). Over 70% of Burundians in 2020 live below 
the international poverty level, which is set at $1.90 
per day; over 64% live below the national poverty 
line, which is set at $0.88 per day; and 65% of 
young people are unemployed (WFP, 2019).  
Sectoral contributions to GDP growth served as 
the primary basis for the analysis of Burundi's 
economic position before being extended to other 
growth metrics. Agriculture, industry and crafts, 
forestry, and energy are currently the main 
economic sectors. The GDP is 40% contributed by 
the agriculture sector and 2% by the forestry 
sector. The GDP contributions of the industrial and 
energy sectors are 18.3% and approximately 
4.6%, respectively (1% for electricity) 
(MINAEGRIE, 2018).  
According to Minani (2014), population expansion 

invariably results in the depletion and excessive 
utilization of agricultural land. As a result, in an 
already constrained space, crop productivity and 
soil fertility both diminish. The author claims that 
because agriculture takes precedence over other 
uses of the limited land resources due to 
demographic pressure, pastures are being 
reduced.  
Low soil fertility and low agricultural yields are 
caused by intensive farming and grazing on steep, 
extensively eroded hills, high soil acidity, and a lack 
of agricultural inputs. This study looks at Burundi's 
agricultural land use and accessibility in light of 
these limitations. In order to show the ways to 
increase access to and use of agricultural land, this 
article examines a wide range of advantages, 
disadvantages, possibilities, and dangers.  

 

MATERIAL AND METHOD 
 

The qualitative and quantitative data used in this 
study were gathered from books, publications, 
scientific articles, theses, and the websites of various 
organizations and institutions. The agricultural 
system and land use, the distribution of land and 
population pressure, the availability of arable land, 
and the loss and degradation of arable land were the 
main topics of the thorough literature review. 
However, surveys that were administered during the 
focus groups were used to collect the primary data. 
Additionally, secondary data were employed in the 
authoring and discussion of this research study's 
findings.  
Information and data from many sources were 
analyzed, assessed, and interpreted in light of the 
land access and use situation's goals. Additionally, in 
order to facilitate clear and intelligible information, 
the classification and organization of quantitative 
data were compared based on the pertinent 
literature.  
An organization's or any industry's strengths, 
weaknesses, opportunities, and threats can be 
shown and identified using a SWOT analysis. Both 
primary data from surveys and secondary data from 
publications and organizations were used in this 
analysis. To identify the internal and external effects 
and the best course of action for the Burundian 
agricultural industry, SWOT and SOR analyses were 
employed. Table 1 shows the layout of the SWOT 
analysis matrix.  

 

Table 1: SWOT analysis table 
 Factors In terms of impact 
  Positive Negative 

From the sourcing point of view Internal factors Strengths Weaknesses 
External factors Opportunities Threats 

 

According to Vermeire and Gellynck (2009), OR 
analysis is a technique used in many different 
fields to assess the performance, management, 
and production processes of activities. SWOT 

analysis is the process of developing a strategy 
based on the findings of an analysis (Rajasekaran, 
2009). SWOT and SOR analyses of Burundi's 
agricultural land status have been conducted in  



 
 

 

 

this study. Following a list of opportunities and 
strengths, plans are created to stop and lessen 
threats and weaknesses. The strategic orientation  

 

 

matrix (SOR) then identifies the weaknesses and 
assesses which strengths have been employed for 
each suggested solution. A synopsis of the SOR 
analysis presentation is shown in Table 2. 

 
Table 2: SOR matrix summary 

Points What is its significance? What can be done? 

The total score is calculated 
for each S (Strength), 
W (Weakness), O 
(Opportunity) and T 
(Threat) 

How important are the 
different S, W, O, T? 

The development of two or three strategies around 
the most important opportunities and threats to 
maximize external factors. 

Calculation of each of the 
scores 

How to convert S, W, O 
or T? 

Development of strategic objectives for the 
combinations 
that achieve the highest scores. 

Combination What are the 
general solutions? 

High S-O: Attack; high chance. 
High ST: Defense; we have the strength to deal with 
threats. 
High W-O: Work on weaknesses to take advantage of 
opportunities. 
High W-T: The threats are heavy; it is difficult to 
produce solutions. 



 
 

 

RESULTS AND DISCUSSIONS 

Current situation of Burundi's 
agricultural land 

 
Information regarding Burundian agricultural areas 
has been provided in this section of the study. The 
distribution of Burundi's land by regions and land 
uses is the main emphasis of this study's findings. 
The effects of population density on agricultural land 
evolution have been studied. 
 

Land distribution and population 
pressure 

Burundi's rural areas have been under a lot of 
strain due to its demographic and topographical 
features, which have been made worse by climate 
concerns. Ten to twelve percent of the country is 
covered by natural forests, whereas the majority of 
the land is rough and mountainous (WFP, 2021). 
In addition, the nation boasts a rich network of 
rivers, freshwater lakes, fertile arable land, 
productive marshes, and copious amounts of 
rainfall. Burundi, on the other hand, is the second 
most densely populated country in Africa, with a 
population density of roughly 470 people per km2, 
and it is growing at a pace of 3.3% annually (PAM, 
2016).  
 

Despite gradual urbanization, 87% of people still 

reside in rural areas and work primarily in small-
scale agriculture. This has put a great deal of strain 
on agricultural land and forests. Due to the 
progressive growth in intensive farming techniques 
brought on by the decline in soil fertility and land 
degradation, the steep slopes were more farmed 
without erosion management, and there was a 
considerable intermediate fragmentation of tiny 
plots. Agricultural land use is currently in a 
dangerous and unsustainable state. In 
mountainous agricultural regions, landslides have 
become more frequent and intense. These events 
are exacerbated by climate calamities including 
droughts, floods, and torrential rains. Because of 
this, there is more pressure to turn the remaining 
forests into agricultural land because it impacts 
arable land (WB, 2018). With about 90% of the 
population living in agriculture, Burundi's economy 
is mostly focused on subsistence farming. The 
country is also known for its fragmented farmland 
and extremely low production. Over the past ten 
years, agricultural production has grown at a pace 
of 2%, which is slower than the population growth 
rate, which has ranged from 2.6% to 3% (WFP, 
2016). According to research conducted by the 
FCSVA (Comprehensive food security and 
vulnerability analysis), Figure 1 displays the 
average land ownership per household in each 
province of the nation (WFP, 2008).  

 

 

 

Figure 1: Distribution of households with less than 0.25 ha (hectare) of land by province 
 

The FCSVA's 2008 survey reports, which 
depict households' ability to acquire land, are 
depicted in Figure 1. 40.6% of houses in Kayanza 
province had an area of less than 0.25 ha, 
according to a research by FCSVA. With 

percentages of households with fewer than 0.25 
hectares, the provinces of Ngozi and Bujumbura 
Rural come next, accounting for 39.3% and 31.8% 
of all households, respectively. Between 15.1% and 
20% of households in numerous provinces of the 



 
 

 

nation farm on land smaller than 0.25 hectares. 
Large family plots are found in Mwaro province, 
where just 3% of households have an area of less 
than 0.25 ha, and areas with a particularly low rate 
of less than 15% have somewhat favorable land 
access rates (WFP, 2008). Plots are often 
somewhat modest, despite the fact that land is 
widely accessible. Nonetheless, rapid population 
expansion causes the amount of land used for 
food production to steadily decline. 23.1% of rural 
residents have access to 0.25 hectares or less of 
arable land when the various methods of land 
access (ownership, rental, and borrowing) are 
combined. In general, the rate of increase in 
agricultural production does not keep pace with the 
rate of population expansion. According to recent 
data, food demand is rising between 3 and 6% 
annually, whereas agricultural production is 
primarily constrained by land scarcity and 
diminishing land productivity, which lowers food 
production per capita (Quentin et al., 2008). The 
unpredictability of land availability in Rwanda 
encourages members of Domestic Units to work in 
non-agricultural occupations. In Kimonyi Sector, 
Domestic Units typically exploit a tiny area of land 
(0,25 ha). According to Miero (2022), the land 
dependency ratio is 4/1.  
 
According to several research, food insecurity and 
poverty are still big issues in Burundi. Furthermore, 
according to a study on household vulnerability 
analysis, 72% of people in the northern part of 
Burundi are food insecure, meaning they consume 
less than 2,100 kcal of food per day, and 66% of 
people live in poverty (Niragria, 2009). According 
to Quentin's research, 63% of the country's 
population experienced food insecurity (Baghdad 
et al., 2008) and 67% of the population lived in 
poverty (Quentin et al., 2008).  

General land use 

Burundi's agricultural methods combine 
multiple food crops on a single plot and are 
primarily focused on self-sufficiency. Seldom is 
fallow observed. About 1,210,000 hectares, or 
43.5% of the country's total land area, are used for 
food crops (not including farmed marshes), 
whereas 104,000 hectares, or 3.7% of the total 
area, are used for cash crops. Approximately 
81,403 hectares, or 2.9% of the nation's total land 
area, are made up of cultivated wetlands 
(MINATTE, 2008).  

128,375 hectares, or roughly 4.6% of the 
country's total land area, are covered by forested 
regions. Ninety-seven percent of the fuel is wood. 
Over the last 20 years, the pace of deforestation 
has increased, averaging 3.2% between 1983 and 
1998. The prevalence of less productive breeds 
further reduces productivity. 775,506 hectares, or 
27.9% of the entire country, are pastures 
(MİNATTE, 2008). The usage of organic fertilizer, 
the primary fertilizer available to farmers, has been 
significantly curtailed due to the decrease in 
livestock.  
For further details on the allocation of Burundian 
lands based on their availability and utility, see 
Figure 2 (MAP, 2021 and FAOSTAT, 2022).  

 

 

Figure 2: Distribution and land use in 2016 (ha) 
 



 
 

 

The region of Burundi is depicted by usage in 
Figure 2. Of the country's about 2,783,000 
hectares of land, 1.2 million ha (46.7%) are arable 
land and 2,350,000 ha (80%) are regarded as 
prospective agricultural land. Only 23,000 ha (1%) 
are irrigated, 480,000 ha (24%) are permanent 
meadows and pastures, and 350,000 ha (17%) 
are continuously planted (World Data Atlas 2021). 
The total area under cultivation is actually 
1,550,000 hectares, which includes 153,950 
hectares of non-arable land (rocks and mountains) 
that cannot be used for agriculture (WFP, 2021). 
Burundi's forests, which make up only 279,640 ha, 
or roughly 10.9% of the country's total land area, 
are being severely exploited for building materials, 
firewood, and charcoal. As a result of population 
pressure fighting for limited resources, the forests 
are progressively being turned into agricultural 
land. Burundi's forests, which make up only 
279,640 ha, or roughly 10.9% of the country's total 

land area, are being severely exploited for building 
materials, firewood, and charcoal. As a result of 
population pressure fighting for limited resources, 
the forests are progressively being turned into 
agricultural land. The aquarium only takes up 153 
hectares of the nation's entire land area (WFP, 
2021).  

Availability of arable land 

94% of households nationwide have full or partial 
access to land, 43% of agricultural households in 
Burundi rent land in cash, and 5% rent land in 
exchange for in-kind compensation. A significant 
percentage of farmers whose property is 
insufficient for plant production are represented by 
48% of land renters (Minaegrie, 2012). This united 
group lacks sufficient fertile soil, yet not being 
landless. The agricultural land availability of the 
households surveyed is displayed in Table 3 
(Minaegrie, 2012). 

 

Table 3: Areas grown by households 
Percentage of households 
(%) 

Agricultural area (ha) 

21 Less than 0.1 

39 0.1-0.25 

26 0.25- 0.5 

8 0.5- 0.75 
5 More than 0.75 

 

Small farms dominate agriculture, with 86% of 
households growing on areas smaller than 0.5 
hectares. Less than 0.1 hectares of agricultural 
land are used by 21% of families in Table 3. 
10.6% of plots are exploited by individuals, 
according to the findings of a survey carried out by 
MINAEGRIE (MINAEGRIE, 2012). Only 5% of 
rural households own a parcel larger than 0.75 
hectares, according to the same survey. 

Geographical factors, unsustainable farming 
methods, inadequate infrastructure, and a lack of 
institutional and governmental ability all 
contributed to Burundi's agricultural difficulties 
(Collins et al., 2013). The topography of the region 
determines the distribution of these arable lands, 
and Figure 3 displays the location and proportion 
of agriculture. 

 

 

Figure 3: Topography of agricultural land 
 

Burundi's predominantly green terrain is crucial to 
its agricultural industry. A total of 44% of 
agricultural activities are conducted on sloping 
hills, 21% on the bases of hills, 13% on hills and 

plains at the same time, and 9% on swampy 
ground (MINAEGRIE, 2012). Because of the 
country's rough topography, mechanical 
agriculture is used sparingly, resulting in poorer 
production per manual worker (Collins et al., 



 
 

 

2013). Furthermore, the agricultural instruments 
are inadequate and not as strong as they could be 
to enable large-scale competitive land 
management.  
If production and income are sufficiently high, 
higher agricultural productivity can help lift people 
out of poverty. Even with a high output, farms of a 
minimum size would not be able to supply the 
rising demand for food (Valdés and Foster 2010). 
In Burundi, access to land is frequently regarded 
as a major issue for sustainable living (Pedro, 
2011). Researchers believe that land access has 
a significant role in determining income potential, 
risk and disaster susceptibility, and food security 
(Ricker-Gilbert et al., 2014).  

 

Degradation and loss of arable land 
 
Over 6.6% of the nation's land is made up of forests 
that have been removed for agricultural purposes 
(WB, 2018). With little erosion control and a 
considerable amount of land fragmentation into 
small plots, the steep slopes are being farmed more 
and more. There is a significant risk of losing arable 
land because the majority of agricultural operations 
are conducted on steeply sloping hills. The amounts 
of arable land lost annually as a result of erosion are 
displayed in Table 4. 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 

Table 4: Soil degradation and loss by 
ecological zone 
 

Ecoregions Erosion (t/ha/year) Alan (ha) Share of total area 

Imbo 2.5 194,000 7% 

Mumirwa 100 270,000 10% 

Congo-Nile Basin 21.5 410,000 15% 

Central plateau 18 1,237,000 44% 

Northeast Depressions 2.6 - 4 670,000 24% 



 
 

 

Mumirwa is extremely susceptible to erosion, as 
Table 4 demonstrates, with an average annual loss 
of 100 tons of soil per hectare. A notable loss of 
21.5 tons/ha/year was also seen in the Congo-Nile 
basin. Imbo has also been eroded, causing a loss 
of 2.5 tons of soil per hectare each year, despite its 
flat extension. According to table 4, this results in 
an average annual loss of 145.3 tons of arable 
land per hectare in these ecological regions (World 
Bank 2018). The extent of sustainable 
concentration is limited by intensive agriculture, 
which has resulted in significant issues with soil 
erosion and productivity (Oketch and Polzer 2002).  
Rwanga et al. (2017) state that 90% of Burundi's 
population resides in rural areas. Due to the 
severe fragmentation of rural regions for essential 

subsistence needs, this has resulted in 
considerable strains on rural natural resources and 
land degradation (Niyuhire, 2018). 

 

SWOT analysis of Burundi's overall 
agricultural condition 

 
The external factors influencing Burundian 

agriculture's sustainability as well as its 
advantages and disadvantages were noted. The 
SWOT analysis was used to look at the threats 
and opportunities that lead to limited access and 
underutilization of agricultural land resources. 
Table 5 lists and categorizes each of these traits 
below. 

 

Table 5: SWOT analysis of Burundian agriculture 
 STRENGTHS  WEAKNESSES 

S1 Good climatic conditions for diversified agricultural 
production. 

W1 Lack of reliable and up-to-date agricultural 
data. 

S2 Low labor costs. W2 Limited access to agricultural financing. 

S3 Strategic location for export to 4 countries via 
Tanganyika Lake. 

W3 Uncertain land system with a growing land 
shortage population. 

S4 Strong comparative advantage in the production of 
cash products (sugarcane, coffee, tea, dates, 
cotton, etc.) 

W4 Poor rural transport infrastructure. 

S5 The presence of 4 different agricultural season. W5 Poor water management and soil 
degradation. 

S6 The presence of undeveloped marshes W6 Low economic power. 

S7 Agricultural business potential. W7 Low land productivity. 

S8 Water potential. W8 Low active population. 

S9 The presence of the land law of 2011 regulating the 
agricultural sector. 

W9 The weakness of technology in the 
agricultural sector. 

S10 Presence of environmental law, water law, forestry 
law, mining law, etc. The existence of 
complementary legal 
frameworks to land for the promotion and 
conservation of natural resources. 

W10 High rural population and pressure on 
natural resources. 

  W11 More mountainous and hilly lands 
susceptible to erosion. 

  W12 Although translated into the national 
language, the Land Code is not 
disseminated and popularized at all levels 
of the 
population. 

  W13 A very impressive number of cases of land 
disputes at the court level (about 70% of 
registered land disputes from the courts of 
residence). 

  W14 Low level of private investment in agriculture 
and processing of agricultural products 
(agribusiness, agro-industry). 

  W15 Inadequate capacities of the departments 
responsible for land management (human, 
technical and material resources). 



 
 

 

 

OPPORTUNITIES THREATS 

O1 Creation of new techniques to improve the 
productivity and quality of agricultural products. 

T1 Increase in competition from the EAC (East 
African Community) countries for local 
agricultural producers and industries. 

O2 Low-cost micro fertilization allowing the improvement 
of land preparation techniques. 

T2 Restrictions of harmonization of agricultural 
products. 

O3 Excavation of the land on steep slopes. T3 Unpredictable weather conditions and the 
lack of historical data hamper the 
development potential of agricultural 
insurance. 

O4 Reduce post-harvest losses by transforming the 
harvest into a marketable food product. 

T4 Free entry of products, programs and food 
aid from donor countries can disrupt 
internal 
exchanges. 

O5 Development of value chains of cash crops T5 The 2015 elections created uncertainty 
about 
the preservation of peace and stability. 

O6 Rapid population growth (increased food demand, 
labor force) 

T6 Great support and financing of the 
agricultural sector of the other EAC 
countries. 

O7 Possibility of irrigable land and development of 
marshy 
land. 

T7 Increased urbanization in fertile agricultural 
areas. 

O8 Existence of national and international organizations 
that support the agricultural sector. 

T8 Conflicts caused by the lack of land 
registration. 

O9 Students in foreign countries to develop the 
agricultural 
sector. 

T9 Congested land for small and medium-sized 
farmers. 

O10 Establishment of common land services throughout 
the 
country. 

T10 Depletion of natural resources. 

O11 Delimitation of public and private lands. T11 The insufficiency or almost absence of the 
commitments of agricultural institutions and 
financial institutions in the granting of loans. 

O12 Accessibility of local land services in terms of 
proximity and also in terms of the cost of a local land 
document. 

T12 Low soil protection at the level of 
watersheds. 

O13 Increase in the level of investment in agriculture due 
to 
better land security. 

T13 Low selling price of agricultural products in 
the harvest period. 

O14 The possibility of converting the land document into 
a title deed according to the specified modalities 
(the 
provisions of the Land Law Article 410) 

T14 Persistence of the land inheritance system 
favourable to extremely land fragmentation. 

  T15 A system of traditional land inheritance 
discriminating the women and girls that has 
not been definitively solved. 

 

Table 5 attempts to provide a concise 
summary of the advantages, disadvantages, 
opportunities, and dangers associated with 
Burundian agricultural land access and use. Ten 
strengths, fifteen weaknesses, fourteen 
opportunities, and fifteen threats were determined 
as a consequence of the analysis. The presence 
of different ecosystems allows for a very diverse 
agricultural system (food and commercial crops, 
development of the value chain of animal and fish 
production), 120,000 hectares of drained marshy 
area, irrigated plains of Imbo and Mosso agro-
ecological regions, and the availability of 

agricultural labor. The rainfall status also allows for 
the possibility of having a cycle of two crops per 
year with four growing seasons. The Burundian 
agricultural systems have the potential for an ideal 
water supply due to the abundance of rainfall and 
the extensive network of rivers.  
 
 
Despite Burundi's agricultural systems' great 
potential, the sector faces numerous challenges 
and threats, including low soil fertility that restricts 
productivity, low input utilization, land 
fragmentation, inadequate agricultural supervision, 



 

© East African Scholars Publisher, 
Kenya 

51 

 

 

poor water management, issues with crop 
processing and conservation, poor agricultural 
mechanization, a lack of technological 
innovations, poor irrigation techniques for 
managing water resources, a lack of technology 
for processing and preserving agricultural 
products, and a lack of rural electrification. The 
primary obstacles that make it difficult to obtain 
land are low agricultural financing, demographic 
pressure, and an inadequate supply of both high-
quality and low-quantity inputs. Implementing 
structural reforms is challenging in this area, and 
the private sector's lack of involvement in  
 
funding the industry. A lack of power supply, lack 
of product certification, technical flaws in 
processing methods, and poor storage capacity 
are some of the main reasons limiting the 
processing capacity of agri-food processing.  
 

Most households are constrained by the atomicity 
of the land, even though their output is higher. 
Income and consumption seem to increase as the 
farm's size grows. Consequently, it is challenging 
to understand how the negative relationship 
between farm size and land production might  
 
enhance nearly landless households or 
demonstrate how Burundian small farms might 
decouple their livelihoods (Niragira, 2018).  
 
The SOR analysis has been conducted using the 
SWOT analysis data to ascertain which strategy 
should be developed to take the best position of an 
opportunity or a vulnerability and transform it in a 
strong way to prevent and avoid threats and 
minimize weaknesses. Survey results were used to 
calculate the scores for each component of the 
analysis. 

 

Table 6: SOR analysis of Burundian agriculture 
Strengths Points Weakness Points Opportunities Points Threats Points 

S1 86 W1 76 O1 64 T1 63 

S2 82 W2 72 O2 58 T2 71 

S3 54 W3 90 O3 71 T3 78 

S4 46 W4 63 O4 60 T4 53 

S5 50 W5 71 O5 70 T5 60 
S6 40 W6 45 O6 91 T6 47 

S7 36 W7 51 O7 77 T7 59 

S8 77 W8 43 O8 77 T8 49 

S9 38 W9 62 O9 56 T9 68 

S10 30 W10 73 O10 53 T10 90 
  W11 78 O11 50 T11 66 
  W12 29 O12 33 T12 32 
  W13 48 O13 58 T13 84 
  W14 74 O14 41 T14 51 
  W15 56   T15 48 

 

The SOR study showed that Burundian agriculture benefited greatly from diverse agricultural 
production for favorable climatic circumstances (S1: 86 points), cheap labor costs (S2: 82 points), and water 
potential (S8: 77 points). In fact, the existence of laws pertaining to the environment, water, forestry, mining, 
etc., is equally crucial. The existence of the legal framework created by the Land Law of 2011 (S9) and the 
existence of complementary legal frameworks to land for the promotion and preservation of natural resources 
(S10) come last, notwithstanding their importance. The primary issues plaguing the agricultural sector are the 
increasing population and land scarcity, the presence of an ambiguous land tenure system (W3), the 
expansion of hilly and mountainous regions (W11), and the absence of accurate and current agricultural data 
(W1).  
 
Naturally, the most obvious opportunities on Burundian agricultural land are the existence of irrigable land and 
the development of marshes (O7), the fast population growth and rising food demand for labor (O6), and 
international organizations assisting the agricultural sector (O8), among the 14 opportunities mentioned. 
Agricultural businesses have significant prospects. Accordingly, the loss of natural resources (T10), the 
inability of rural farmers to obtain a fair price, and the unpredictability  
 
The concerns that impede the nation's agriculture are meteorological circumstances (T13) and the absence of 
historical data, which endangers the possibility for agricultural insurance development (T3). Making major 
contributions and providing facilities in the process of deciding on the management and decision-making 
strategy to improve the agriculture sector is ideal, according to the SOR analysis.  
 
It is especially significant because the rural sector, which provides the bulk of the population with their 
livelihoods, has been largely ignored by the Burundian government's development agenda (Ndikumana, 



  

 

 

2001). Therefore, the government's interest in efficient land use planning, the drastic change in land use, and 
soil conservation techniques must demonstrate that this exacerbates soil erosion and degradation 
(Vansarochana and Ntakirutimana, 2020). A study carried out in two northern Burundian provinces found a 
substantial correlation between farm size and household food security, but a negative link between farm size 
and land production (Verschelde et al., 2013).  

The strategy is decided by considering the possibilities with the greatest rating score in the SOR matrix that was 
developed with strengths and weaknesses, opportunities, and threats. The best practices for attaining 
sustainable agriculture are shown in Table 7. 
 

Table 7: Strategies for Burundian Agriculture 
INTERNAL 
FACTORS/ 
EXTERNAL 
FACTORS 

Strengths (S) 
S1 
S2 
S8 

Weaknesses (W) 
W3 
W11 
W1 

Opportunities 
(O) 
O6 
O7 
O8 

SO Strategics 

Investing in agriculture to maximize 
agricultural production in order to meet the 
growing food needs of the population. 

Installation of irrigation systems to 
expand agricultural land and thus fight 
against the unemployment of the active 
population. 

Support and encourage investments in 
the agricultural industry. 

WO Strategics 

Avoiding the division of land by 
inheritance, working in cooperatives and 
putting forward a policy of land 
consolidation and title deeds. 

To establish the system for recording 
and updating agricultural and 
meteorological databases to minimize 
agricultural risks. 

Threats (T) 
T10 
T13 
T3 

ST Strategics 

Awareness and promotion of natural resource 
management. 

Promote the dissemination of new agricultural 
technologies and the harmonization of 
agricultural products to be competitive on 
international markets. 

To regulate market prices taking into account 
the cost of production of agricultural products. 

WT Strategics 

Stimulate and strengthen the search for 
non- agricultural sources of income. 

Direct urbanization plans to non-agricultural 
land. 
 
Development of anti-erosive practices to 
protect agricultural land. 

Promotion of agricultural insurance. 
 

Burundi has numerous agricultural 
challenges and vulnerabilities because it is a 
country with agricultural potential. Threats and 
possibilities, however, also significantly impede its 
advancement. Various tactics that can result in a 
modern, competitive, and sustainable agriculture 
are shown in Table 7. 

CONCLUSION AND PERSPECTIVES 
 
Policies pertaining to agriculture should encourage 
land consolidation and discourage the partitioning 
of land into tiny pieces. It is necessary to design 
new irrigation strategies, erosion control measures, 
crop transformation strategies, and crop 
conservation strategies. The people who make 
decisions ought to take farmers into account and 
support them. It is imperative that agricultural 
database systems be established. The government 
and its allies should encourage the creation of 
current agricultural statistics and make significant 

investments in the agricultural industry. Establishing 
low-interest lending banks for farmers is desirable. 
To expand the potential of small-scale managed 
sustainable agriculture and its influence on the 
national economy, fundamental adjustments to 
agricultural systems and policies are required. 
Furthermore, as the agricultural sector is seen as 
the foundation of the nation's economy, significant 
state interventions are necessary to address its 
issues.  
 
The Malthusian theory is frequently proposed to 
explain the development of Burundian agriculture. 
Then, the description is straightforward: "the 
demographic explosion" and "reduction of cultivable 
areas" lead to a considerable increase in the 
exploitation of fallow plots and grazing regions, 
which hinders the growth of agriculture. It is claimed 
that the "demographic explosion" will result in a 
"population / resource imbalance" that will be the 
root cause of the present and upcoming economic 



 

 

crises because agricultural practices have not 
altered (Hubert, 2020). According to this 
assessment of the recent changes in Burundian 
agricultural systems, the population-land ratio is the 
primary variable taken into account, and population 
increase is the cause of a number of the agricultural 
sector's restrictions. The "traditionalist" mindset of 
farmers has demonstrated their resistance to the 
"modern" methods provided by extension services 
and their conscious wish to produce primarily in 
accordance with their present needs, which is a 
second barrier to development that is also 
underlined (Hubert, 2020). The Malthusian theory is 
not the most appropriate framework for 
comprehending the state of land access and use, 
as our paper has shown. The Burundian land use 
system and access can be thoroughly analyzed 
using the SWOT and SOR frameworks. It makes it 
possible to talk about various strategies for 
improving agricultural land utilization. But land 
access continues to be a major obstacle while  
 
The value and strategic investments of alternative 
land uses are more competitive. This issue of land 
use conciliation has not been developed in our 
paper.  
Furthermore, ensuring family food security has 
become extremely challenging due to the fast 
population growth, limited farm sizes, and declining 
soil fertility. Even with great productivity, farming 
may not be a viable option for making a living 
because most people own so little land. Farmers 
must contend with the fact that their land is too tiny 
for their farming operations. Even though small-
scale agriculture has seen tremendous productivity, 
the findings cast doubt on the sustainability of these 
little farms in the nation's most populated regions. 
To get around this problem, it would be best to put 
in place a program of agricultural land 
consolidation. To increase yields on tiny plots, 
farmers should want to collaborate and fortify 
agricultural cooperatives. A decline in production 
results from the frequent loss of arable land, 
particularly on sloping terrain, which deteriorates 
agriculturally cultivated land and depletes soil 
fertility. Installing anti-erosive systems on such 
flooring ought to be advised.  
 
In order to replenish the nutrients lost from the soil 
and restore the hydrological functions of the soil 
systems, degraded and deforested land should be 
actively repaired by establishing a suitable 
vegetation cover. This would assist ease access to 
agricultural land and address the severe scarcity of 
arable land. Rethinking rural development policies 
is advised in order to create tactics that effectively 
reduce poverty. The government should 
concentrate its efforts on the following tasks in order 
to put these strategies into practice: educating and 
informing all parties involved about the prudent 
management of natural resources; providing 
equipment and training to specialists in watershed 

management; and assisting and directing local 
communities in the mechanization and application of 
technologies in their farms. National land use 
planning will prioritize land management. 
Implementing an occupation policy based on 
standards created by all parties involved should be 
part of it. To persuade village communities to band 
together for the sake of cooperative agricultural 
production, awareness-raising initiatives should be 
implemented.  
 
Lastly, expanding the use of contemporary farming 
methods helps to improve overall agricultural 
sustainability, lower soil erosion, and boost land 
production.  
 

ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS 

In order to make this study possible, the author 
would like to sincerely thank everyone who 
volunteered. I also want to express my gratitude to 
my supervisor and the instructors in the 
agricultural economics department at Selcuk 
University's Faculty of Agronomy. To the 
agricultural engineers who have contributed their 
thoughts and encouragement, as well as to 
everyone who helped make this work possible. 

 
REFERENCES 

 

 ADB. (2022). African Development Bank. 
"Burundi Economic Outlook." Text. African 
Development Bank - Building Today, A Better 
Africa Tomorrow. African Development Bank 
Group, 2021 
https://www.afdb.org/sites/default/files/docume
nts/ projects-and- 
operations/burundi_country_strategy_paper_2
019- 2023-rev.pdf. Reviewed on 19.03.2022. 

 Baghdadli, I., Harborne, B., & Rajadel, T. 
(2008). Breaking the cycle; A Strategy for 
conflict- sensitive rural growth in Burundi. 
World Bank, Washington D.C. 
https://documents1.worldbank.org/curated/en/87
91 
51468242065807/pdf/446490PUB0ENGL101OF
FI 
CIAL0USE0ONLY1.pdf Reviewed on 
02.08.2022. 

 Collins, C., Magnani, R., & Ngomirakiza, E. 
(2013). Usaid office of food for peace food 
security country framework for Burundi (FY 
2014 –FY 2019). Washington, D.C.: FHI 
360/Fanta 
https://www.fantaproject.org/sites/default/files/re
so urces/FSCF-Burundi-2013-web.pdf 
Reviewed on 12.07.2022. 

 EGAE. (2014). Evaluation de la mise en œuvre 
des politiques agricoles
 nationales: Défis et 
perspectives de l'avenir, 175p 
https://bi.chm- cbd.net/sites/bi/files/2019-

https://www.afdb.org/sites/default/files/documents/projects-and-operations/burundi_country_strategy_paper_2019-2023-rev.pdf
https://www.afdb.org/sites/default/files/documents/projects-and-operations/burundi_country_strategy_paper_2019-2023-rev.pdf
https://www.afdb.org/sites/default/files/documents/projects-and-operations/burundi_country_strategy_paper_2019-2023-rev.pdf
https://www.afdb.org/sites/default/files/documents/projects-and-operations/burundi_country_strategy_paper_2019-2023-rev.pdf
https://www.afdb.org/sites/default/files/documents/projects-and-operations/burundi_country_strategy_paper_2019-2023-rev.pdf
https://www.afdb.org/sites/default/files/documents/projects-and-operations/burundi_country_strategy_paper_2019-2023-rev.pdf
https://documents1.worldbank.org/curated/en/879151468242065807/pdf/446490PUB0ENGL101OFFICIAL0USE0ONLY1.pdf
https://documents1.worldbank.org/curated/en/879151468242065807/pdf/446490PUB0ENGL101OFFICIAL0USE0ONLY1.pdf
https://documents1.worldbank.org/curated/en/879151468242065807/pdf/446490PUB0ENGL101OFFICIAL0USE0ONLY1.pdf
https://documents1.worldbank.org/curated/en/879151468242065807/pdf/446490PUB0ENGL101OFFICIAL0USE0ONLY1.pdf
https://documents1.worldbank.org/curated/en/879151468242065807/pdf/446490PUB0ENGL101OFFICIAL0USE0ONLY1.pdf
https://www.fantaproject.org/sites/default/files/resources/FSCF-Burundi-2013-web.pdf
https://www.fantaproject.org/sites/default/files/resources/FSCF-Burundi-2013-web.pdf
https://www.fantaproject.org/sites/default/files/resources/FSCF-Burundi-2013-web.pdf
https://bi.chm-cbd.net/sites/bi/files/2019-10/eta-gen-agri-el-egae-ed-2014.pdf
https://bi.chm-cbd.net/sites/bi/files/2019-10/eta-gen-agri-el-egae-ed-2014.pdf


 

 

10/eta-gen-agri-el-egae- ed-2014.pdf 
Reviewed on 05.03.2022. 

 FAOSTAT. (2022) and WFP. (2021). WFP 
critical corporate initiative: Climate response 
analysis for adaptation
 Burund
i. 
https://docs.wfp.org/api/documents/wfp- 
000138251/download/ Reviewed on 
15.11.2022. 

 FSIN. (2019). Food security information 
network. "Global report on food
 crisis 2019". 
https://www.fsinplatform.org/sites/default/files/r
es ources/files/GRFC_2019- 
Full_Report.pdf"rm.org/sites/default/files/resour
ces 
/files/grfc_2019 full_report.pdf. Reviewed
 on 22.04.2022 

 Grebmer, K., Von, J., Bernstein, M., Wiemers, 
K., Acheampong, A., Hanano, B., Higgins, R., 
& Chéilleachair, N. (2020). Global hunger 
index: One decade to zero hunger - Linking 
health and sustainable food
 systems. 
FILE:///C:/USERS/SEDAT/DOWNLOADS/GHI
_ 
2020.PDF Reviewed on 11.06.2022. 

 Hubert, C. (2020). Le secteur agricole au 
Burundi : Enjeu majeur des politiques de 
développement. Les crises politiques au 
Burundi et au Rwanda (1993– 1994),
 1995. FFHAL-
02536734f. 
https://hal.archives-ouvertes.fr/hal- 
02536734/document. Reviewed on 
29.8.2022. 

 ISTEEBU. (2015). Profil et déterminants de 

la 

pauvreté: rapport de l'enquête modulaire sur 
les conditions de vie des ménages 2013 
/2014. http://www.isteebu.bi
 /index.php/publicatio
ns 
/rapport s-d-enquêtes Reviewed on 07 March 
2017. 

 Jacquinet, A. (2012). Vulnérabilité : 
Catégorisation d'une population paysanne en 
situation d'insécurité alimentaire au
 Burundi 
https://www.louvaincooperation.org/sites/default
/fi les/2018-10/11%20Me%CC%81moire%20- 
%20Cate%CC%81gorisation%20population%2
0pa 
ysanne%20situation%20insecurite%CC%81%
20ali mentaire.pdf Reviewed on 21.09.2022. 

 Jeníček, V., & Grofová, Š. (2016). "Least 
developed countries - the case of Burundi." 
Agricultural economics (Zemědělská 
ekonomika) 61(5), 234–247. 
https://doi.org/10.17221/48/2014- agricecon 

Reviewed on 11.07.2022. 

 Kearney, J. (2010). "Food consumption trends 
and drivers." philosophical transactions of the 
royal society b: Biological sciences, 
365(1554), 2793– 
2807. 
file:///C:/Users/Sedat/Downloads/rstb20100149.p
df Reviewed on 28.04.2022. 

 Manirakiza, D. (2021). Impact des 
coopératives agricoles des cultures vivrières 
sur les conditions de vie des ménages ruraux 
au Burundi : Cas des coopératives de la
 province de Ngozi. 
https://orbi.uliege.be/bitstream/2268/258396/1/th
es e%20manirakiza%20dismas%202021.pdf 
Reviewed on 02.04.2022. 

 MINAEGRIE. (2019). Evaluation des récoltes, 
des approvisionnements alimentaires pour la 
saison 2018b et de la mise en place de la 
saison 2018c rapport provisoire
 (volume 1). 
HTTPS://FSCLUSTER.ORG/BURUNDI/DOCU
M ENT/RAPPORT-DEVALUATION-DES- 
RECOLTES-DES-2 Reviewed on 11.03.2022. 

 MINAGRIE. (2012). Enquête Nationale 
Agricole du Burundi 2011–12. Résultats de la 
saison A. Gouvernement of Burundi. 
https://bi.chm- cbd.net/sites/bi/files/2019- 
10/enq-nat-agri-bi- 2011-2012-sais-c.pdf 
Reviewed on 02.04.2022. 

 MINATTE. (2008). Ministry of land 
management, tourism, and environment) 
national strategy and action plan for biological 
diversity. inecn/undpgef, Burundi 
https://info.undp.org/docs/pdc/Documents/BDI/0
00 
57554_PRODOC%20GESTION%20DURABLE
% 
20DES%20TERRES%20VERSION%20ANGLAI 
SE.pdf Reviewed on 22.08.2022 

 Minani, B. (2014). Analyse et stratégies du 
développement de l’agriculture familiale dans 
un pays post-conflit: cas de la province de 
Kirundo au nord du Burundi 
https://orbi.uliege.be/bitstream/2268/169109/1/M
in ani%20Bonaventure_2014.pdf Reviewed on 
10.07.2022. 

 Mizero, M. (2022). Réformes agraires et 
paysans rwandais, situation et perspectives 

d’accès au foncier rural. Thèse de 
Doctorat en Sciences Agronomiques et 
Ingénierie Biologique, Faculté de 
Gembloux Agro-Bio Tech, Université de 
Liège, Belgique. https://orbi.uliege.be. 
Reviewed on 19.01.2023. 

 Ngaruko, F., & Nkurunziza, J. D. (2000). An 
economic interpretation of conflict in 
Burundi. Journal of African Economics, 
9(3), 370-409 
https://www.researchgate.net/publication/24757

https://bi.chm-cbd.net/sites/bi/files/2019-10/eta-gen-agri-el-egae-ed-2014.pdf
https://bi.chm-cbd.net/sites/bi/files/2019-10/eta-gen-agri-el-egae-ed-2014.pdf
https://docs.wfp.org/api/documents/wfp-%20000138251/download/
https://docs.wfp.org/api/documents/wfp-%20000138251/download/
https://www.fsinplatform.org/sites/default/files/resources/files/GRFC_2019-Full_Report.pdf%22rm.org/sites/default/files/resources/files/grfc_2019%20full_report.pdf
https://www.fsinplatform.org/sites/default/files/resources/files/GRFC_2019-Full_Report.pdf%22rm.org/sites/default/files/resources/files/grfc_2019%20full_report.pdf
https://www.fsinplatform.org/sites/default/files/resources/files/GRFC_2019-Full_Report.pdf%22rm.org/sites/default/files/resources/files/grfc_2019%20full_report.pdf
https://www.fsinplatform.org/sites/default/files/resources/files/GRFC_2019-Full_Report.pdf%22rm.org/sites/default/files/resources/files/grfc_2019%20full_report.pdf
https://www.fsinplatform.org/sites/default/files/resources/files/GRFC_2019-Full_Report.pdf%22rm.org/sites/default/files/resources/files/grfc_2019%20full_report.pdf
https://www.fsinplatform.org/sites/default/files/resources/files/GRFC_2019-Full_Report.pdf%22rm.org/sites/default/files/resources/files/grfc_2019%20full_report.pdf
file:///C:/Users/Sedat/Downloads/GHI_2020.pdf
file:///C:/Users/Sedat/Downloads/GHI_2020.pdf
file:///C:/Users/Sedat/Downloads/GHI_2020.pdf
https://hal.archives-ouvertes.fr/hal-02536734/document
https://hal.archives-ouvertes.fr/hal-02536734/document
http://www.isteebu.bi/
http://www.isteebu.bi/
https://www.louvaincooperation.org/sites/default/files/2018-10/11%20Me%CC%81moire%20-%20Cate%CC%81gorisation%20population%20paysanne%20situation%20insecurite%CC%81%20alimentaire.pdf
https://www.louvaincooperation.org/sites/default/files/2018-10/11%20Me%CC%81moire%20-%20Cate%CC%81gorisation%20population%20paysanne%20situation%20insecurite%CC%81%20alimentaire.pdf
https://www.louvaincooperation.org/sites/default/files/2018-10/11%20Me%CC%81moire%20-%20Cate%CC%81gorisation%20population%20paysanne%20situation%20insecurite%CC%81%20alimentaire.pdf
https://www.louvaincooperation.org/sites/default/files/2018-10/11%20Me%CC%81moire%20-%20Cate%CC%81gorisation%20population%20paysanne%20situation%20insecurite%CC%81%20alimentaire.pdf
https://www.louvaincooperation.org/sites/default/files/2018-10/11%20Me%CC%81moire%20-%20Cate%CC%81gorisation%20population%20paysanne%20situation%20insecurite%CC%81%20alimentaire.pdf
https://www.louvaincooperation.org/sites/default/files/2018-10/11%20Me%CC%81moire%20-%20Cate%CC%81gorisation%20population%20paysanne%20situation%20insecurite%CC%81%20alimentaire.pdf
https://www.louvaincooperation.org/sites/default/files/2018-10/11%20Me%CC%81moire%20-%20Cate%CC%81gorisation%20population%20paysanne%20situation%20insecurite%CC%81%20alimentaire.pdf
https://www.louvaincooperation.org/sites/default/files/2018-10/11%20Me%CC%81moire%20-%20Cate%CC%81gorisation%20population%20paysanne%20situation%20insecurite%CC%81%20alimentaire.pdf
https://doi.org/10.17221/48/2014-agricecon
https://doi.org/10.17221/48/2014-agricecon
https://orbi.uliege.be/bitstream/2268/258396/1/THESE%20MANIRAKIZA%20Dismas%202021.pdf
https://orbi.uliege.be/bitstream/2268/258396/1/THESE%20MANIRAKIZA%20Dismas%202021.pdf
https://orbi.uliege.be/bitstream/2268/258396/1/THESE%20MANIRAKIZA%20Dismas%202021.pdf
https://fscluster.org/burundi/document/rapport-devaluation-des-recoltes-des-2
https://fscluster.org/burundi/document/rapport-devaluation-des-recoltes-des-2
https://fscluster.org/burundi/document/rapport-devaluation-des-recoltes-des-2
https://fscluster.org/burundi/document/rapport-devaluation-des-recoltes-des-2
https://bi.chm-cbd.net/sites/bi/files/2019-10/enq-nat-agri-bi-2011-2012-sais-c.pdf
https://bi.chm-cbd.net/sites/bi/files/2019-10/enq-nat-agri-bi-2011-2012-sais-c.pdf
https://bi.chm-cbd.net/sites/bi/files/2019-10/enq-nat-agri-bi-2011-2012-sais-c.pdf
https://bi.chm-cbd.net/sites/bi/files/2019-10/enq-nat-agri-bi-2011-2012-sais-c.pdf
https://info.undp.org/docs/pdc/Documents/BDI/00057554_PRODOC%20GESTION%20DURABLE%20DES%20TERRES%20VERSION%20ANGLAISE.pdf
https://info.undp.org/docs/pdc/Documents/BDI/00057554_PRODOC%20GESTION%20DURABLE%20DES%20TERRES%20VERSION%20ANGLAISE.pdf
https://info.undp.org/docs/pdc/Documents/BDI/00057554_PRODOC%20GESTION%20DURABLE%20DES%20TERRES%20VERSION%20ANGLAISE.pdf
https://info.undp.org/docs/pdc/Documents/BDI/00057554_PRODOC%20GESTION%20DURABLE%20DES%20TERRES%20VERSION%20ANGLAISE.pdf
https://info.undp.org/docs/pdc/Documents/BDI/00057554_PRODOC%20GESTION%20DURABLE%20DES%20TERRES%20VERSION%20ANGLAISE.pdf
https://info.undp.org/docs/pdc/Documents/BDI/00057554_PRODOC%20GESTION%20DURABLE%20DES%20TERRES%20VERSION%20ANGLAISE.pdf
https://orbi.uliege.be/bitstream/2268/169109/1/Minani%20Bonaventure_2014.pdf
https://orbi.uliege.be/bitstream/2268/169109/1/Minani%20Bonaventure_2014.pdf
https://orbi.uliege.be/bitstream/2268/169109/1/Minani%20Bonaventure_2014.pdf
https://orbi.uliege.be/
https://www.researchgate.net/publication/247576568_An_Economic_Interpretation_of_Conflict_in_Burundi%20Reviewed%20on%2003.12.2021


 

 

656 
8_An_Economic_Interpretation_of_Conflict_in_
B urundi Reviewed on 03.12.2021 

 Niragira, S., Brusselaers, J., Jeroen, B., 

Orshoven, 
J. V., Ndimubandi, J., & D'haese, M. (2018). 
Farm size and productivity nexus farmers' 
welfare in Burundi. 
https://www.gavinpublishers.com/assets/articles
_p df/1526899071article_pdf342148521.pdf 
Reviewed on 09.09.2022. 

 Niragira, S. (2011). Optimizing land use 
among small scale  farms through 
 agricultural specialization in the 
 north of  Burundi. 
https://libstore.ugent.be/fulltxt/RUG01/001/789/
88 5/RUG01-001789885_2012_0001_AC.pdf 
Reviewed on 08.07.2022. 

 Niragira, S. (2009). Contribution à l'étude de la 
vulnérabilité socio-économique des ménages 
de la province densement peuplée de Ngozi. 
mémoire, université du Burundi. 

 Niyuhire, M. C. (2018). Integrated soil fertility 
management for bean-maize based farming 
systems in Gitega province, Burundi: 
understanding and enhancing the agronomic 
and economic benefits of organic and
 mineral inputs. 
file:///C:/Users/Sedat/Downloads/Phd_Niyuhire
Ma rieChantal_May31.pdf Reviewed on 
06.08.2022 

 Ntakirutimana, A., & Vansarochana, C. 
(2020). Land use and land cover change 
detection using and remote sensing 
technology in developing country: a case 
study of Gitega district, Burundi. Agricultural
 Sci J, 51, 1(Suppl.), 86-
91. 
https://www.agi.nu.ac.th/conference/agiscijourn
al_ vol51_no1(suppl)/science/oral/OA-
17Audace85- 
91.pdf Reviewed on 29.08.2022. 

 Oketch, J. S., & Polzer, T. (2002). Conflict and 
coffee in Burundi in: Lind J Sturman k (eds.), 
Scarcity and surfeit, the ecology of Africa's 
conflicts. Institute for security studies south 
Africa 
file:///C:/Users/Sedat/Downloads/Recovering_fr
om 
_conflict_An_analysis_of_food_produ.
pdf Reviewed on 04.06.2022. 

 Pedro, P. S. (2011). Investing in agriculture in 
Burundi: Improving food security and 
conditions for women farmers. Oxfam, 
Bujumbura 
https://oxfamilibrary.openrepository.com/bitstre
am 
/handle/10546/188591/rr-investing-
agriculture- burundi-051211-summ-
en.pdf?sequence=3 Reviewed on 
28.04.2022. 

 PNIA. (2011). Plan National

 d'Investissement 
Agricole(2012-2017) 

https://www.resakss.org/sites/default/files/pdfs//
bur undi-national-agricultural-investment-plan-
2012- 50991.pdf. Reviewed on 12.02.2022. 

 Quentin, W., Morris, M., & Dianga, E. 
(2008). Agricultural recovery: Food security 
beyond. Munich personal repec
 archive (MPRA). 
https://mpra.ub.uni- 
muenchen.de/15410/1/MPRA_paper_15410.pdf 
Reviewed on 03.05.22. 

 Rajasekaran, N. (2009). Non-governmental 
development organizations in India: A SWOT 
analysis, the ICFAI University journal of 
managerial economics, 7(2:50-69) 
https://ideas.repec.org/a/icf/icfjme/v07y2009i2p5
0- 
69.html Reviewed on 12.11.2021. 

 Valdés, A., & Foster, W. (2010). Reflections on 
the role of agriculture in 19. pro-poor growth. 
World Development, 38, 1362-
1374. 
https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/a
bs/ pii/S0305750X10001026 Reviewed on 
12.06.2022. 

 Vermeire, B., & Gellynck, X. (2009). 
Strategic orientation training session, Ghent 
University Faculty of Bioscience, Department 
of Agriculture Economics, 3. Official meeting of 
the food cluster 
https://biblio.ugent.be/publication/677013. 
Reviewed on 11.04.2022. 

 Verschelde, M., D’haese, M., Rayp, G., & 
Vandamme, E. (2013). Challenging small-scale 
farming: a non-parametric analysis of the 
(inverse) relationship between farm productivity 
and farm size in Burundi. Journal of Agricultural 
Economics, 64, 319-
342. 

https://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/10.1111/j.147
7- 9552.2012.00373.x Reviewed on 
30.03.2022. 

 WB. (2018). International development 
association project appraisal document on a 
proposed grant in the amount of SDR 20.6 
million (US$30 million) to the republic of 
Burundi for a Burundi landscape restaurant
 and resilience
 project. 
"https://documents1.worldbank.org/curated/en/9
46 311523671259769/pdf/BURUNDI-PADrev- 
03232018.pdf" ndi-padrev-03232018.pdf . 
Reviewed on 05.11.2022. 

 WFP. (2008). Burundi: Comprehensive food 
security and vulnerability analysis (CFSVA), 
December 2008 
https://reliefweb.int/report/burundi/burundi- 
comprehensive-food-security-and-
vulnerability- analysis-cfsva-dec-2008 

https://www.researchgate.net/publication/247576568_An_Economic_Interpretation_of_Conflict_in_Burundi%20Reviewed%20on%2003.12.2021
https://www.researchgate.net/publication/247576568_An_Economic_Interpretation_of_Conflict_in_Burundi%20Reviewed%20on%2003.12.2021
https://www.researchgate.net/publication/247576568_An_Economic_Interpretation_of_Conflict_in_Burundi%20Reviewed%20on%2003.12.2021
https://www.researchgate.net/publication/247576568_An_Economic_Interpretation_of_Conflict_in_Burundi%20Reviewed%20on%2003.12.2021
https://www.gavinpublishers.com/assets/articles_pdf/1526899071article_pdf342148521.pdf
https://www.gavinpublishers.com/assets/articles_pdf/1526899071article_pdf342148521.pdf
https://www.gavinpublishers.com/assets/articles_pdf/1526899071article_pdf342148521.pdf
https://libstore.ugent.be/fulltxt/RUG01/001/789/885/RUG01-001789885_2012_0001_AC.pdf
https://libstore.ugent.be/fulltxt/RUG01/001/789/885/RUG01-001789885_2012_0001_AC.pdf
https://libstore.ugent.be/fulltxt/RUG01/001/789/885/RUG01-001789885_2012_0001_AC.pdf
https://www.agi.nu.ac.th/conference/agiscijournal_vol51_no1(suppl)/science/oral/OA-17Audace85-91.pdf
https://www.agi.nu.ac.th/conference/agiscijournal_vol51_no1(suppl)/science/oral/OA-17Audace85-91.pdf
https://www.agi.nu.ac.th/conference/agiscijournal_vol51_no1(suppl)/science/oral/OA-17Audace85-91.pdf
https://www.agi.nu.ac.th/conference/agiscijournal_vol51_no1(suppl)/science/oral/OA-17Audace85-91.pdf
https://www.agi.nu.ac.th/conference/agiscijournal_vol51_no1(suppl)/science/oral/OA-17Audace85-91.pdf
https://oxfamilibrary.openrepository.com/bitstream/handle/10546/188591/rr-investing-agriculture-burundi-051211-summ-en.pdf?sequence=3
https://oxfamilibrary.openrepository.com/bitstream/handle/10546/188591/rr-investing-agriculture-burundi-051211-summ-en.pdf?sequence=3
https://oxfamilibrary.openrepository.com/bitstream/handle/10546/188591/rr-investing-agriculture-burundi-051211-summ-en.pdf?sequence=3
https://oxfamilibrary.openrepository.com/bitstream/handle/10546/188591/rr-investing-agriculture-burundi-051211-summ-en.pdf?sequence=3
https://oxfamilibrary.openrepository.com/bitstream/handle/10546/188591/rr-investing-agriculture-burundi-051211-summ-en.pdf?sequence=3
https://oxfamilibrary.openrepository.com/bitstream/handle/10546/188591/rr-investing-agriculture-burundi-051211-summ-en.pdf?sequence=3
https://www.resakss.org/sites/default/files/pdfs/burundi-national-agricultural-investment-plan-2012-50991.pdf
https://www.resakss.org/sites/default/files/pdfs/burundi-national-agricultural-investment-plan-2012-50991.pdf
https://www.resakss.org/sites/default/files/pdfs/burundi-national-agricultural-investment-plan-2012-50991.pdf
https://www.resakss.org/sites/default/files/pdfs/burundi-national-agricultural-investment-plan-2012-50991.pdf
https://www.resakss.org/sites/default/files/pdfs/burundi-national-agricultural-investment-plan-2012-50991.pdf
https://mpra.ub.uni-muenchen.de/15410/1/MPRA_paper_15410.pdf
https://mpra.ub.uni-muenchen.de/15410/1/MPRA_paper_15410.pdf
https://ideas.repec.org/a/icf/icfjme/v07y2009i2p50-69.html
https://ideas.repec.org/a/icf/icfjme/v07y2009i2p50-69.html
https://ideas.repec.org/a/icf/icfjme/v07y2009i2p50-69.html
https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/abs/pii/S0305750X10001026
https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/abs/pii/S0305750X10001026
https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/abs/pii/S0305750X10001026
https://biblio.ugent.be/publication/677013
https://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/10.1111/j.1477-9552.2012.00373.x
https://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/10.1111/j.1477-9552.2012.00373.x
https://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/10.1111/j.1477-9552.2012.00373.x
https://documents1.worldbank.org/curated/en/946311523671259769/pdf/BURUNDI-PADrev-03232018.pdf
https://documents1.worldbank.org/curated/en/946311523671259769/pdf/BURUNDI-PADrev-03232018.pdf
https://documents1.worldbank.org/curated/en/946311523671259769/pdf/BURUNDI-PADrev-03232018.pdf
https://documents1.worldbank.org/curated/en/946311523671259769/pdf/BURUNDI-PADrev-03232018.pdf
https://reliefweb.int/report/burundi/burundi-comprehensive-food-security-and-vulnerability-analysis-cfsva-dec-2008
https://reliefweb.int/report/burundi/burundi-comprehensive-food-security-and-vulnerability-analysis-cfsva-dec-2008
https://reliefweb.int/report/burundi/burundi-comprehensive-food-security-and-vulnerability-analysis-cfsva-dec-2008
https://reliefweb.int/report/burundi/burundi-comprehensive-food-security-and-vulnerability-analysis-cfsva-dec-2008


 

 

Reviewed on 15.09.2022. 

 WFP. (2016). Analyse de la securite 
alimentaire d'urgence (EFSA - Emergency 
Food Security Assessment),
 March
 2016. 
file:///c:/users/90552/downloads/rapport_efsa_
wfp_ versionfinale_24_may_2016.pdf. 
Reviewed on 11.05.2022. 

 WFP. (2019). "World Food Program 
Burundi Annual country report
 2019 ". 
https://docs.wfp.org/api/documents/WFP- 
0000113840/download/ Reviewed on 
20.05.2022. 

    World Data Atlas. (2018). "Burundi: Arable land as        
    a share of land area, 1960-2020." Knoema,  
  https://knoema.com//atlas/burundi/topics/land-  
    use/area/arable-land- as-a-share-of-land-area.  
    Reviewed on 08.07.2022.  

file:///c:/users/90552/downloads/rapport_efsa_wfp_versionfinale_24_may_201
file:///c:/users/90552/downloads/rapport_efsa_wfp_versionfinale_24_may_201
file:///c:/users/90552/downloads/rapport_efsa_wfp_versionfinale_24_may_201
https://docs.wfp.org/api/documents/WFP-0000113840/download/
https://docs.wfp.org/api/documents/WFP-0000113840/download/
https://knoema.com/atlas/burundi/topics/land-
https://knoema.com/atlas/burundi/topics/land-use/area/arable-land
https://knoema.com/atlas/Burundi/topics/Land-Use/Area/Arable-land-as-a-share-of-land-area

	The This study has studied and examined Burundi's agricultural land accessibility and utilization. Its strengths, weaknesses, opportunities, and threats have been examined using SWOT and SOR analysis, and several methods that can result in sustainable...
	INTRODUCTION
	Material and Method
	Table 1: SWOT analysis table

	Results and Discussions
	Current situation of Burundi's agricultural land
	Land distribution and population pressure
	Figure 1: Distribution of households with less than 0.25 ha (hectare) of land by province
	General land use
	Figure 2: Distribution and land use in 2016 (ha)
	Availability of arable land
	Table 3: Areas grown by households
	Figure 3: Topography of agricultural land
	Degradation and loss of arable land
	Table 4: Soil degradation and loss by ecological zone
	SWOT analysis of Burundi's overall agricultural condition
	Table 5: SWOT analysis of Burundian agriculture
	Table 6: SOR analysis of Burundian agriculture
	Table 7: Strategies for Burundian Agriculture

	Conclusion and Perspectives
	Acknowledgements
	References

