System dynamics and the defintion of research domains for the northern Guinea Savanna of West Africa

The northern Guinea savanna in Africa (NGS) with a season length of 151–180 days and an altitude below 800 m has long been recognized as highly suitable for crop production and animal husbandry. At present, land use intensity and farming as well as livestock systems vary widely across the zone. Subs...

Full description

Bibliographic Details
Main Authors: Weber, G., Smith, J., Manyong, Victor
Format: Journal Article
Language:Inglés
Published: 1996
Subjects:
Online Access:https://hdl.handle.net/10568/103911
_version_ 1855521549361086464
author Weber, G.
Smith, J.
Manyong, Victor
author_browse Manyong, Victor
Smith, J.
Weber, G.
author_facet Weber, G.
Smith, J.
Manyong, Victor
author_sort Weber, G.
collection Repository of Agricultural Research Outputs (CGSpace)
description The northern Guinea savanna in Africa (NGS) with a season length of 151–180 days and an altitude below 800 m has long been recognized as highly suitable for crop production and animal husbandry. At present, land use intensity and farming as well as livestock systems vary widely across the zone. Subsistence farming and traditional pastoralism are present as well as intensive, market-oriented production of cash crops and highly integrated crop-livestock systems. This article presents an approach for addressing the challenge of technology development and transfer in the NGS. It is based on an analysis of the evolutionary change of agricultural systems. Exogenous and endogenous determinants have been identified for the formation of, at present, four agricultural systems, five major resource domains and at least ten major farming domains in the NGS. The domains cluster areas of similar resource endowments and development potential which are at a similar point along generalized evolutionary pathways. The additional differentiation of farmer domains integrates changes in equity and externalities into the concept. Resource degradation, biotic constraints and issues of equality are briefly analyzed according to the framework.
format Journal Article
id CGSpace103911
institution CGIAR Consortium
language Inglés
publishDate 1996
publishDateRange 1996
publishDateSort 1996
record_format dspace
spelling CGSpace1039112023-08-08T07:20:56Z System dynamics and the defintion of research domains for the northern Guinea Savanna of West Africa Weber, G. Smith, J. Manyong, Victor crop production animal husbandry land use farming subsistence farming cash crops technology transfer agricultural systems farming systems intensification resource management crop management sustainability The northern Guinea savanna in Africa (NGS) with a season length of 151–180 days and an altitude below 800 m has long been recognized as highly suitable for crop production and animal husbandry. At present, land use intensity and farming as well as livestock systems vary widely across the zone. Subsistence farming and traditional pastoralism are present as well as intensive, market-oriented production of cash crops and highly integrated crop-livestock systems. This article presents an approach for addressing the challenge of technology development and transfer in the NGS. It is based on an analysis of the evolutionary change of agricultural systems. Exogenous and endogenous determinants have been identified for the formation of, at present, four agricultural systems, five major resource domains and at least ten major farming domains in the NGS. The domains cluster areas of similar resource endowments and development potential which are at a similar point along generalized evolutionary pathways. The additional differentiation of farmer domains integrates changes in equity and externalities into the concept. Resource degradation, biotic constraints and issues of equality are briefly analyzed according to the framework. 1996 2019-10-03T14:30:52Z 2019-10-03T14:30:52Z Journal Article https://hdl.handle.net/10568/103911 en Limited Access Weber, G., Smith, J. & Manyong, M.V. (1996). System dynamics and the definition of research domains for the northern Guinea savanna of West Africa. Agriculture, Ecosystems and Environment, 57, 133-148.
spellingShingle crop production
animal husbandry
land use
farming
subsistence farming
cash crops
technology transfer
agricultural systems
farming systems
intensification
resource management
crop management
sustainability
Weber, G.
Smith, J.
Manyong, Victor
System dynamics and the defintion of research domains for the northern Guinea Savanna of West Africa
title System dynamics and the defintion of research domains for the northern Guinea Savanna of West Africa
title_full System dynamics and the defintion of research domains for the northern Guinea Savanna of West Africa
title_fullStr System dynamics and the defintion of research domains for the northern Guinea Savanna of West Africa
title_full_unstemmed System dynamics and the defintion of research domains for the northern Guinea Savanna of West Africa
title_short System dynamics and the defintion of research domains for the northern Guinea Savanna of West Africa
title_sort system dynamics and the defintion of research domains for the northern guinea savanna of west africa
topic crop production
animal husbandry
land use
farming
subsistence farming
cash crops
technology transfer
agricultural systems
farming systems
intensification
resource management
crop management
sustainability
url https://hdl.handle.net/10568/103911
work_keys_str_mv AT weberg systemdynamicsandthedefintionofresearchdomainsforthenorthernguineasavannaofwestafrica
AT smithj systemdynamicsandthedefintionofresearchdomainsforthenorthernguineasavannaofwestafrica
AT manyongvictor systemdynamicsandthedefintionofresearchdomainsforthenorthernguineasavannaofwestafrica