FAIR Sahel project: presentation

Key words
  • In the Sahel, agricultural systems are characterized by high vulnerability to extreme climate variability, high exposure of family producers to risks of various kinds (climate, economic, health, even security), a low level of diversification livelihoods, and agricultural value chains that are unfavorable to the profitability of the systems. The result is a rapid degradation of natural resources (soil, water, biodiversity) and the abandonment of certain irrigation areas. Mechanization, whatever its forms, is still too little widespread, although it is desired to improve labor productivity. Its use requires practices and instruments adapted to the quality of the soil for which farmers do not always have the necessary knowledge. Under demographic pressure, competition for the different uses of agricultural and pastoral land is exerted to the detriment of the sustainability of the systems.

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