Climate Factors Play a Limited Role for Past Adaptation Strategies in West Africa
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 dri...
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doaj-98730fced6ff4615948e1d314a8cc34a2020-11-24T23:20:07ZengResilience AllianceEcology and Society1708-30872010-12-011542510.5751/ES-03774-1504253774Climate Factors Play a Limited Role for Past Adaptation Strategies in West AfricaOle Mertz0Cheikh Mbow1Jonas Østergaard. Nielsen2Abdou Maiga3Drissa Diallo4Anette Reenberg5Awa Diouf6Bruno Barbier7Ibrahim Bouzou. Moussa8Malicki Zorom9Ibrahim Ouattara10Daniel Dabi11Department of Geography and Geology, University of CopenhagenInstitut des Sciences de l'Environnement, Faculté des Sciences et Techniques, Ecole Supérieure Polytechnique, Université Cheikh Anta Diop de DakarWaterworlds Research Centre, Department of Anthropology, University of CopenhagenDépartement IRO, University de MontréalUniversité de Bamako, Campus de BadalabougouDepartment of Geography and Geology, University of CopenhagenInstitut des Sciences de l'Environnement, Faculté des Sciences et Techniques, Ecole Supérieure Polytechnique, Université Cheikh Anta Diop de DakarInternational Cooperation Center for Agronomic Research and Development (CIRAD)Département de Géographie, Université Abdou MoumouniInstitut International d'Ingénierie de l'Eau et de l'Environnement (2iE)Département de Géographie, Université de OuagadougouDepartment of Geography and Planning, Faculty of Environmental Sciences, University of JosThe 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.http://www.ecologyandsociety.org/vol15/iss4/art25/adaptationclimate variabilitylivestockrainfed cropsWest Africa |
collection |
DOAJ |
language |
English |
format |
Article |
sources |
DOAJ |
author |
Ole Mertz Cheikh Mbow Jonas Østergaard. Nielsen Abdou Maiga Drissa Diallo Anette Reenberg Awa Diouf Bruno Barbier Ibrahim Bouzou. Moussa Malicki Zorom Ibrahim Ouattara Daniel Dabi |
spellingShingle |
Ole Mertz Cheikh Mbow Jonas Østergaard. Nielsen Abdou Maiga Drissa Diallo Anette Reenberg Awa Diouf Bruno Barbier Ibrahim Bouzou. Moussa Malicki Zorom Ibrahim Ouattara Daniel Dabi Climate Factors Play a Limited Role for Past Adaptation Strategies in West Africa Ecology and Society adaptation climate variability livestock rainfed crops West Africa |
author_facet |
Ole Mertz Cheikh Mbow Jonas Østergaard. Nielsen Abdou Maiga Drissa Diallo Anette Reenberg Awa Diouf Bruno Barbier Ibrahim Bouzou. Moussa Malicki Zorom Ibrahim Ouattara Daniel Dabi |
author_sort |
Ole Mertz |
title |
Climate Factors Play a Limited Role for Past Adaptation Strategies in West Africa |
title_short |
Climate Factors Play a Limited Role for Past Adaptation Strategies in West Africa |
title_full |
Climate Factors Play a Limited Role for Past Adaptation Strategies in West Africa |
title_fullStr |
Climate Factors Play a Limited Role for Past Adaptation Strategies in West Africa |
title_full_unstemmed |
Climate Factors Play a Limited Role for Past Adaptation Strategies in West Africa |
title_sort |
climate factors play a limited role for past adaptation strategies in west africa |
publisher |
Resilience Alliance |
series |
Ecology and Society |
issn |
1708-3087 |
publishDate |
2010-12-01 |
description |
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. |
topic |
adaptation climate variability livestock rainfed crops West Africa |
url |
http://www.ecologyandsociety.org/vol15/iss4/art25/ |
work_keys_str_mv |
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