Currently, cotton is its biggest export. Since livestock is an important resource, the government plans to create a Ministry of Animal Resources and plans to develop grazing and livestock zones. Recently, Burkina Faso has been experiencing droughts that have hampered the water supply and its agricultural activities. Desertification, soil degredation, overgrazing, and deforestation are also key environmental issues. Soil degredation is mainly caused by erosion, which is exacerbated by bare soil surfaces, mechanized farming, trampling by livestock, and poor soil structure.
Deforestation is on the rise, due in part to the problems faced by subsistence farmers and the poor.
Though Burkina Faso is a signatory and party to many international and regional environmental agreements, the national investment in protected areas remains very low. Despite the diversity and richness of its wildlife, the country's species level information is poorly documented. It is home to 83 endemic species, none of which has currently been documented as endangered. Statistics Information Sources Land area 273,800 sq. There are a large number of different natural wetlands, such as marshes and floodplains.