Livestock production and sustainable agricultural Development in semi-arid West Africa
Mixed farming systems, combining crop and livestock activities, hold considerable promise for improved agricultural productivity and environmental conservation in semi-arid West Africa. Increasing population pressure and climatic changes have combined to render long-fallow periods less feasible and...
| Main Authors: | , , , |
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| Format: | Conference Paper |
| Language: | Inglés |
| Published: |
OAU/STRC
1997
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| Subjects: | |
| Online Access: | https://hdl.handle.net/10568/50805 |
| _version_ | 1855515945931374592 |
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| author | Williams, Timothy O. Hiernaux, Pierre H.Y. Fernández Rivera, S. Turner, M. |
| author_browse | Fernández Rivera, S. Hiernaux, Pierre H.Y. Turner, M. Williams, Timothy O. |
| author_facet | Williams, Timothy O. Hiernaux, Pierre H.Y. Fernández Rivera, S. Turner, M. |
| author_sort | Williams, Timothy O. |
| collection | Repository of Agricultural Research Outputs (CGSpace) |
| description | Mixed farming systems, combining crop and livestock activities, hold considerable promise for improved agricultural productivity and environmental conservation in semi-arid West Africa. Increasing population pressure and climatic changes have combined to render long-fallow periods less feasible and effective. Transhumant pastoralism, a productive and historically important pattern of livestock production in the Sahel, is under severe stress due to periodic droughts and extension of cropped lands into range-lands. This paper examines alternative options through which the integration of livestock and crop production could contribute to an intensification of agricultural production and enhance the maintenance of soil fertility in semi-arid West Africa. It reviews several aspects of livestock production focusing on social, economic and technical constraints to pastoral production and to efficient integration of crop and livestock activities. The impact of livestock on the agro-ecosystem is discussed in respect of trampling, spatial redistribution of nutrients and the biological effects of grazing and browsing on the vegetation. Technologies and economic incentives that could improve the contribution of livestock to agricultural production in semi-arid West Africa are identified. The paper demonstrates the necessity of multidisciplinary approach and of active farmer involvement in identifying, designing, and developing appropriate technologies for mixed farming systems in Africa. |
| format | Conference Paper |
| id | CGSpace50805 |
| institution | CGIAR Consortium |
| language | Inglés |
| publishDate | 1997 |
| publishDateRange | 1997 |
| publishDateSort | 1997 |
| publisher | OAU/STRC |
| publisherStr | OAU/STRC |
| record_format | dspace |
| spelling | CGSpace508052025-12-02T10:59:51Z Livestock production and sustainable agricultural Development in semi-arid West Africa Williams, Timothy O. Hiernaux, Pierre H.Y. Fernández Rivera, S. Turner, M. animal production livestock sustainability agricultural development semiarid zones Mixed farming systems, combining crop and livestock activities, hold considerable promise for improved agricultural productivity and environmental conservation in semi-arid West Africa. Increasing population pressure and climatic changes have combined to render long-fallow periods less feasible and effective. Transhumant pastoralism, a productive and historically important pattern of livestock production in the Sahel, is under severe stress due to periodic droughts and extension of cropped lands into range-lands. This paper examines alternative options through which the integration of livestock and crop production could contribute to an intensification of agricultural production and enhance the maintenance of soil fertility in semi-arid West Africa. It reviews several aspects of livestock production focusing on social, economic and technical constraints to pastoral production and to efficient integration of crop and livestock activities. The impact of livestock on the agro-ecosystem is discussed in respect of trampling, spatial redistribution of nutrients and the biological effects of grazing and browsing on the vegetation. Technologies and economic incentives that could improve the contribution of livestock to agricultural production in semi-arid West Africa are identified. The paper demonstrates the necessity of multidisciplinary approach and of active farmer involvement in identifying, designing, and developing appropriate technologies for mixed farming systems in Africa. 1997 2014-10-31T06:21:41Z 2014-10-31T06:21:41Z Conference Paper https://hdl.handle.net/10568/50805 en Limited Access OAU/STRC |
| spellingShingle | animal production livestock sustainability agricultural development semiarid zones Williams, Timothy O. Hiernaux, Pierre H.Y. Fernández Rivera, S. Turner, M. Livestock production and sustainable agricultural Development in semi-arid West Africa |
| title | Livestock production and sustainable agricultural Development in semi-arid West Africa |
| title_full | Livestock production and sustainable agricultural Development in semi-arid West Africa |
| title_fullStr | Livestock production and sustainable agricultural Development in semi-arid West Africa |
| title_full_unstemmed | Livestock production and sustainable agricultural Development in semi-arid West Africa |
| title_short | Livestock production and sustainable agricultural Development in semi-arid West Africa |
| title_sort | livestock production and sustainable agricultural development in semi arid west africa |
| topic | animal production livestock sustainability agricultural development semiarid zones |
| url | https://hdl.handle.net/10568/50805 |
| work_keys_str_mv | AT williamstimothyo livestockproductionandsustainableagriculturaldevelopmentinsemiaridwestafrica AT hiernauxpierrehy livestockproductionandsustainableagriculturaldevelopmentinsemiaridwestafrica AT fernandezriveras livestockproductionandsustainableagriculturaldevelopmentinsemiaridwestafrica AT turnerm livestockproductionandsustainableagriculturaldevelopmentinsemiaridwestafrica |