1. Evergreen Agriculture in the SahelEvergreen Agriculture in the Sahel
An overviewAn overview
A Kalinganire, J Bayala, J Binam, C Dembele
J Weber & Z Tchoundjeu
World Agroforestry Centre (ICRAF-WCA)

2. Talk planTalk plan
 Africa drylands
Tree functions
Challenges & opportunities for the Sahel
 Promising innovations:
• FMNR
• Rehabilitation of degraded lands
• Land – soil – water management
• Plans for scaling-up
Concluding remarks

3. Characterisation of drylandCharacterisation of dryland
AfricaAfrica
44
Agricultural productivity isAgricultural productivity is
limited by poor availability oflimited by poor availability of
moisture (semi-arid, arid andmoisture (semi-arid, arid and
hyper arid areas)hyper arid areas)
More than 30 % of the world’sMore than 30 % of the world’s
drylands are found in Africadrylands are found in Africa
Cover 1.96 billion ha in 25Cover 1.96 billion ha in 25
countriescountries
Represents 65% of theRepresents 65% of the
continental land masscontinental land mass
Home to over 400 millionHome to over 400 million
people, majority rural poorpeople, majority rural poor
smallholder farmerssmallholder farmers
Annual population growth rateAnnual population growth rate
is >3%is >3%

4. Challenges for the SahelChallenges for the Sahel
66
Fragile environment with sparseFragile environment with sparse
vegetative covervegetative cover
Poor farming practicesPoor farming practices
Inadequate germplasm in the contextInadequate germplasm in the context
of climate changeof climate change
Overstocking grazing areasOverstocking grazing areas
Soil erosion leading to crusted soilSoil erosion leading to crusted soil
and increased water loss due toand increased water loss due to
runoff – land cover degradationrunoff – land cover degradation
Low native soil fertility and generalLow native soil fertility and general
nutrient depletion in cultivated landnutrient depletion in cultivated land
Poor access to markets of AFPoor access to markets of AF
productsproducts
Policy – Land/tree tenure & genderPolicy – Land/tree tenure & gender

5. Agroforestry - tree functionsAgroforestry - tree functions
 Challenges in dryland Africa are complex - this calls for an
integrated agro-ecosystem approach including tree-
agriculture-livestock
Provide added value tree products that generate income or
improve food and nutritional security and health of
smallholders
Provide services that increase agricultural production and
environmental benefits
Regeneration of degraded lands and retention of soil
moisture enhances agricultural productivity
Planting trees and shrubs have proven to be very efficient in
reducing wind erosion and stabilizing sand dunes in dryland
Africa
Wild species (domestication)of plants useful as food,
medicines, fodder, fertiliser species, cosmetics or fibre

6. Food securityFood security
Rising population implies increasing food demands –Rising population implies increasing food demands –
chronic food insecurity & nutrition deficitchronic food insecurity & nutrition deficit

7. Opportunities for the SahelOpportunities for the Sahel
66
Varied sources of water, both rainfall andVaried sources of water, both rainfall and
irrigation, cropping systems areirrigation, cropping systems are
diversified (vegetable production, treediversified (vegetable production, tree
based systems etc.)based systems etc.)
Demographic pressure lead to increasingDemographic pressure lead to increasing
market demands – opportunities formarket demands – opportunities for
intensification (agricultural and treeintensification (agricultural and tree
crops, livestock)crops, livestock)
Increased private sector participation inIncreased private sector participation in
agricultural production and marketingagricultural production and marketing
(inputs dealers, processing of agricultural(inputs dealers, processing of agricultural
products, micro-finance etc.)products, micro-finance etc.)
Development of appropriate farmingDevelopment of appropriate farming
practices: ISFM, Tree domestication,practices: ISFM, Tree domestication,
FMNR, Integrated water managementFMNR, Integrated water management
approachapproach

8. Challenging actionsChallenging actions
How to increase tree and agricultural crop and animal productivity
for increasing population through intensification and diversification?
How to enhance environmental services?

9. Sustainable land managementSustainable land management
1414
Regeneration of degraded landsRegeneration of degraded lands
and retention of soil moistureand retention of soil moisture
enhances agriculturalenhances agricultural
productivityproductivity
Tree effect on microclimate -Tree effect on microclimate -
planting trees/shrubs, live fencesplanting trees/shrubs, live fences
have proven to be very efficient inhave proven to be very efficient in
reducing wind erosion andreducing wind erosion and
stabilizing sand dunesstabilizing sand dunes
Tree domestication,Tree domestication,
nutritional banks (vegetable andnutritional banks (vegetable and
fruit trees), fodder banks,fruit trees), fodder banks,
medicinals, etc.medicinals, etc.

12. FMNR development in the SahelFMNR development in the Sahel
NIGER 5 million ha regenerated
MALI more than 3 million ha
of old parklands in Southern
Mali
BURKINA FASO at least 1million ha

13. FMNR: various steps…FMNR: various steps…

15. Biomass production withBiomass production with P.P.
reticulatumreticulatum ,, G. senegalensisG. senegalensis
during dry seasonduring dry season
• Biomass production during dry
season: mulch & fodder
• Soil conservation and erosion
control

16. Sustainable waterSustainable water
managementmanagement
2020
Contours and cut- offContours and cut- off
ditches, half-moon shapedditches, half-moon shaped
earth bounds, zai etc.earth bounds, zai etc.
reinforced with stones servereinforced with stones serve
as micro-catchments basinsas micro-catchments basins
to reduce water runoff andto reduce water runoff and
erosionerosion..
Associating trees with theseAssociating trees with these
structures increases harvestingstructures increases harvesting
of scarce rainfall by channellingof scarce rainfall by channelling
run-off into the micro-run-off into the micro-
catchments formed by thecatchments formed by the
bounds and concentrated inbounds and concentrated in
basins around the trees.basins around the trees.

17. Sustainable soil management
1818
Improved fallow systems,Improved fallow systems,
introduction of leguminousintroduction of leguminous
cover crops, nitrogen fixing,cover crops, nitrogen fixing,
phosphorous cycling treesphosphorous cycling trees
and shrubs have restored soiland shrubs have restored soil
fertility to degraded lands.fertility to degraded lands.
Trees when intercroppedTrees when intercropped
withwith crops add nutrients andcrops add nutrients and
organic matter to the soil andorganic matter to the soil and
also reduce weeds and soilalso reduce weeds and soil
surface evaporationsurface evaporation

18. Scaling-up and outScaling-up and out
There are interesting innovations for an
evergreen agriculture for the drylands,
especially for the Sahel, for the adaptation and
mitigation to CC and enhancing agricultural
(millet and sorghum) and tree crop
productivity
…How do we scale it up?

20.  Empowerment of farmers with capacities for
better land management and enhancing crop
production through participatory approaches
and collective action (joined-up thinking).
 Identify, analyze and publish grass-root success
stories and use these as a starting point for
expansion.
 Use training approaches that facilitate the
exchange amongst farmers like Farmers’ field
school, farmer-to-farmer and village-to-village
approaches –increase the flow of information,
knowledge and technologies to farmers.
 System thinking – crop-tree-livestock based
approach.
Extension services, NGOs and farmersExtension services, NGOs and farmers
organisations….organisations….

21.  Practical policy interventions/options to manage Sahelian ecosystems: evaluationPractical policy interventions/options to manage Sahelian ecosystems: evaluation
of the implications of contemporary tenure systems, land statutes necessaryof the implications of contemporary tenure systems, land statutes necessary
(advocacy for policy change); and gender issues.(advocacy for policy change); and gender issues.
 Tree management practices need to be assessed within the context of greeningTree management practices need to be assessed within the context of greening
the Sahel : institutionalisation of policies for sustainable utilisation of Sahelianthe Sahel : institutionalisation of policies for sustainable utilisation of Sahelian
dryland forests.dryland forests.
 Legal requirements are needed to trade Non-Tree Forest Products in officialLegal requirements are needed to trade Non-Tree Forest Products in official
markets rather in the informal sector (baobab on EU markets).markets rather in the informal sector (baobab on EU markets).
 Investments from private investors, governments and rural communitiesInvestments from private investors, governments and rural communities
(engagement) are needed for scaling-up of re-greening practices targeting both(engagement) are needed for scaling-up of re-greening practices targeting both
environmental services and food security.environmental services and food security.
 Better access and functioning markets of forest/agroforestry products to enhanceBetter access and functioning markets of forest/agroforestry products to enhance
re-greening best practices – improved income for smallholders/communities.re-greening best practices – improved income for smallholders/communities.
 Linkages with on-going initiatives on FMNR, micro-dosing, water harvesting e.g.
Great Green Wall initiative for the Sahara/Sahel etc.
Policy makers and funding agencies---Policy makers and funding agencies---

22. Existing practices contribute
positively in re-greening
drylands/Sahel in a sustainable
manner; reducing poverty, food
insecurity, deforestation &
desertification.
ConclusionConclusion
Considerable work need
to be done, how rural
communities and
investors would adopt
such technologies

23. Thank you!Thank you!