A photojournalist captures the impacts of climate change on agriculture in Burkina Faso, and the innovative solutions these communities have responded with in adjusting to a new climate reality.

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In landlocked Burkina Faso, a sub-Saharan country in West Africa, reliable access to water is crucial – particularly for farmers. Over 90% of the country’s population relies on agricultural activities for income and to feed their families. These farmers are vulnerable to climate change, which has caused irregular rain patterns both in the form of droughts and heavy rainfalls.

Over the course of his travels and work in the region, James Souder documents the growing impact of climate change on the agricultural traditions of farming communities – and the innovative adaptation strategies they have implemented to adjust to our new climate paradigm.

One adaptation strategy used by farmers is the half-moon method, which captures rainwater and keeps topsoil from washing away in heavy downpours. Here, Etienne Tiendrébeogowe prepares his fields for a heavy rainfall in Yé, Burkina Faso.

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James Souder is a Masters of Environmental Management student at Yale School of Forestry and Environmental Studies, graduating in May 2018. He worked as a photojournalist in Burkina Faso the year before coming to Yale, where he now studies Industrial Ecology and Green Design with a focus on waste to resource innovation.