Abstract
The semi-arid region of sub-Saharan Africa is increasingly becoming the focus of concern of African governments and the international community in the search for a coherent strategy to reverse the downward trend in economic development and to improve the quality of human life. The region is characterized by low and irregular rainfall. Soil fertility is generally low, especially in terms of phosphorus and nitrogen. The use of purchased inputs is minimal. A deteriorating cropland base is forcing large animals out of the farming system, causing a decline in the supply of animal manure and labor. As a result of the increasing human population, there has been a virtual disappearance of the traditional fallow system of soil fertility maintenance.
This is a summary of the presentation given at the Symposium on Ecological Indicators. A full paper was not available for publication.
Access this chapter
Tax calculation will be finalised at checkout
Purchases are for personal use only
Preview
Unable to display preview. Download preview PDF.
References
Abalu, G. O. I. (1982). Solving Africa’s food problem. Food Policy, 7, 247–256.
Bezuneh, T. (ed.) (1989). Farming System Program, Technical and Administrative Report 1985–1989. Publication of OAU/STRC-SAFGRAD, The Coordination Office, Ouagadougou, Burkina Faso.
Daniel, S. (1988). Arid land plants for economic development and desertification control. Desertification Control Bulletin, 17, UNEP Publication, 18–26.
Davy, E. G., F. Mattee and S. I. Solomon. (1976). An evaluation of climate and water resources for development of agriculture in the Sudano-Sahelian Zone of West Africa. Special Environmental Report No. 9, Geneva, Switzerland. WMO. 289 pp.
FAO. (1985). Consultant Report. On special programme of action for the improvement of food situation and rehabilitation of agriculture in Africa.
Greve, A. T. and F. M. Klein. (1979). Rural Africa. Cambridge, Cambridge University Press.
Kibreab, T. and A. Sohoro. (1987). On farm adaptive research and technology development in Mossi Plateau. Burkina Faso.
Motha, R. P. et al. (1980). Precipitation patterns in West Africa. Monthly Weather Review, 108, 1567–1580.
Nicholson, S. E. (1978). Climatic variations in the Sahel and other African regions during the past five years. Journal of Arid Environment, 1, 3–24.
Nicholson, S. E. (1980). The nature of rainfall fluctuations in sub-tropical West Africa. Monthly Weather Review, 108, 473–487.
Norman, D. W. et al. (1981). Farming systems in the Nigerian savanna, Research strategies for development. Boulder Co., Westview Press, Inc.
Oladipo, L. O. (1989). Drought in Africa: a synthesis of current scientific work. In Pan-EARTH Sub-Saharan Africa Workshop 11–15 September, 1989. Saly, Senegal.
Oram, P. A. (1988). Moving towards sustainability. Building Agroecological Framework. Environment, Vol. 30, No. 9.
Sivakumar, M. V. K. (1989). Agroclimatic aspects of rainfed agriculture. Soil, crop and water management systems for rainfed agriculture in the Sudano-Sahelian zone. In Proceedings of an International Workshop, 11–38. ICRISAT Sahelian Centre, Niamey, Niger.
Swinton, S. M. et al. (1985). Les cultures associees en Milieu Paysan dans deux regions du Niger: Fillingue et Madarounfa. In Proceedings of Regional Workshop on Intercropping in the Sahelian and Sahelo-Sudanian Zones of West Africa, 183–194. Niamey, Niger.
Troll, C. (1966). Seasonal climates of the Earth: the seasonal course of natural phenomena in different climate zones of Earth. In World maps of climatology, ed. Lindsberg M. E. et al., 7–28. New York, Springer Verlag.
World Bank. (1989). Sub-saharan Africa from crisis to sustainable growth. Washington, DC, The World Bank.
Author information
Authors and Affiliations
Editor information
Editors and Affiliations
Rights and permissions
Copyright information
© 1992 Springer Science+Business Media Dordrecht
About this chapter
Cite this chapter
Bezuneh, T., Yilala, K., Kibreab, T. (1992). The Vulnerability of Agricultural Systems to Ecological and Climate Change in Sub-Saharan Africa. In: McKenzie, D.H., Hyatt, D.E., McDonald, V.J. (eds) Ecological Indicators. Springer, Boston, MA. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-1-4615-4659-7_40
Download citation
DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/978-1-4615-4659-7_40
Publisher Name: Springer, Boston, MA
Print ISBN: 978-1-4613-7108-3
Online ISBN: 978-1-4615-4659-7
eBook Packages: Springer Book Archive