Climate Factors Play a Limited Role for Past Adaptation Strategies in West Africa

Abstract

ABSTRACT. The Sudano-Sahelian zone of West Africa has experienced recurrent droughts since the mid-1970s and today there is considerable concern for how this region will be able to adapt to future climate change. To develop well targeted adaptation strategies, the relative importance of climate factors as drivers of land use and livelihood change need to be better understood. Based on the perceptions of 1249 households in five countries across an annual rainfall gradient of 400-900 mm, we provide an estimate of the relative weight of climate factors as drivers of changes in rural households during the past 20 years. Climate factors, mainly inadequate rainfall, are perceived by 30-50% of households to be a cause of decreasing rainfed crop production, whereas a wide range of other factors explains the remaining 50-70%. Climate factors are much less important for decreasing livestock production and pasture areas. Increases in pasture are also observed and caused by improved tenure in the driest zone. Adaptation strategies to declining crop production include 'prayer' and migration in the 400-500 mm zone; reforestation, migration, and government support in the 500-700 mm zone; and soil improvement in the 700-900 mm zone. Declining livestock holdings are countered by improved fodder resources and veterinary services. It is concluded that although rainfed crop production is mainly constrained by climate factors, livestock and pasture are less climate sensitive in all rainfall zones. This needs to be reflected in national adaptation strategies in the region.

Increasing the Effectiveness of the “Great Green Wall” as an Adaptation to the Effects of Climate Change and Desertification in the Sahel

“…In this paper, we focus specifically on the process of soil degradation in arid, semi-arid and dry sub-humid areas, resulting from several factors, including climatic variation and human action, and which involves the loss of the biological or economic productivity of cropland, pasture, wetlands, forests or woodlands [30]. For decades, desertification has been identified as one of the most pressing challenges facing the Sahel, with a variety of factors making the region particularly sensitive [31][32][33]. Biophysically, the Sahel is a semi-arid transition zone between the Sahara desert and tropical Africa.…”

Evaporative Fraction as an Indicator of Moisture Condition and Water Stress Status in Semi-Arid Rangeland Ecosystems

“…Despite several adaptations of the Sahelian population to erratic climate conditions [6], food security still remains a concern, and an accurate estimation of regional yields plays an important role in food security [7].…”

Farmlands Feature Greater Woody Cover than Savannas in Semi-Arid West Africa

“…Farmers' awareness of reforestation as a climate change adaptation measure has been shown 30 , and farmer managed natural regeneration or tree planting programs are common throughout West Africa. However, there are no regional assessments of their success and our study is the first to show that farmlands indeed support significant woody vegetation densities, although this is not the case in all landscapes and under all agricultural management regimes.…”