The World Bank/WBI’s CBNRM Initiative

Case Received: February 18, 1998

Author: Steven Njinyam, UNEAC-BANGUI, RCA

Email: sgudeac@intnet.cf

Diminishing surface water and soil erosion are the major obstacles to sustainable agricultural development and food security in the semi-arid zones of Central Africa. Available sources of irrigation water were identified. Prefeasibility studies coupled with research and development are needed.

Since the severe drought years in the mid-seventies, the persistent climatic instability in Africa has been causing desertification in the northern parts of Cameroon, Central African Republic and Chad, three member states of our Inter-Governmental Organisation, Union Douanière et Economique de l'Afrique Centale : (UDEAC)

The encroaching desertification is having a serious negative impact on the agricultural production, the environment and the biodiversity. The top arable soil is eroded by winds and runoff water, and the surface water has declined. This has provoked decreased food production which has resulted in Food Insecurity and aggravated rural poverty for an estimated population of over ten million people.

It is common knowledge that the Central African sub-region and the neighbouring countries : Sudan, Burundi, Rwanda, The Democratic Republic of Congo (Ex-Zaire), and Congo Brazzaville, have been and are still embroiled in socio-political upheavals and armed-conflicts. This has unfortunately resulted in massive exodus of refugees fleeing into the less turbulent countries of the zone.

It is in this contexte that the three countries affected by the desertification are plagued with refugees influx. For instance in 1997, the Central African Republic (CAR) which had to cope with its own internal unrest, was hosting 27.000 Sudanese refugees, over 5.000 Chadians and an estimated over 20.000 others, notably from Ex-Zaïre, Congo-Brazaville and the great-lake zone. It is evident that the arrival of these displaced persons did put a strain to an already delicate food insecurity situation.

The above descriptive definition of hunger accurately highlights the living realities of the Sudano-Sahelian zones of Central Africa.

This climatic zone under review lies within latitude 8° and 20° north of the equator and is characterized by a short monsoonal rainy season (June-September) with a mean rainfall of 500 mm per year near Lake Chad. Agricultural activities are based on rainfed and dryland crop production and agro-pastoral practices.

Although the total amount of rainfall can support crop production, there are several constraining factors involved. From a 45 years rainfall data analysis, it became evident that some locations received less than 60 mm rainfall a year. The timing, amount of rainfall variability and the occurrence of high intensities are determining factors. The very heavy rainstorms provoke excessive runoff, causing erosion of the fertile top soil, with very little water infiltration to sustain crop growth.

The Soils are predominantly Vertisols, Alfisols, and Planosols which contain mostly clay and Silt. When these soils are exposed bare without vegetative cover to heavy monsoonal rainfalls, crust and surface seals are easily formed resulting in poor water infiltration and excessive runoffs.

The Sudano-Sahelian vegetation is typically savana and richly endowed with flora and fauna biodiversity. However, the persistent rainfall regression coupled with winds and drought conditions are seriously affecting this vegetation. Some of the most attractive game and wildlife reserves in Africa South of the Sahara are found in this region. The WAZA park in North Cameroon, the NDELE park in CAR, the ZAKOUMA and MANDA parks in Chad, contain large populations of Elephants, Buffalos, Giraffs, Lions, Deer, birds and other herbivores. In recent years, due to the severe drought conditions the numbers of these animals have dwindled, provoking a sharp drop in the number of tourist visits.

This is also the cattle production zone and during the long dry seasons, cattle from the countries surrounding Lake Chad (Niger, Chad, Nigeria and Cameroon) all converge into the Lake area in search of green pasture. These periodic movements are called " Transhumance ". Besides the animal health problems associated with these movements, of hundreds of thousands of cattle, they generally provoke a stiff competition for scarce natural resources (land and water) between crop farmers and cattle rearers, sometimes resulting in bloody conflicts. In the process, enormous pressure is exerted on the environment and the biodiversity destroyed by wild bushfires.

Big cities and villages (like Maroua, Garoua in Cameroon ; Sahr, Ndjamena and

Moundou in Chad ; Bouar, Bossangoa, and Bambari in CAR) have developped along the

agricultural plains created by the rivers and lakes. The population is increasing while the food production is not keeping pace. The suitable land devoted to food crops production has been decreasing due to urbanisation and expanding cotton agro-industrial production.

The climatic instability has forced the rural population to adopt shifting cultivation methods, and this type of subsistence agricultural production can not cope with this urban demand. Food habits have changed and wage earners in the agro-industries now rely heavily on imported cereals notably rice and wheat flour. There are not yet well developed food conservation industries to process what is produced locally to store against "hunger-periods".

These people, in the absence of any employment opportunities, a sure source of food, are left with no choice than to go out exploiting uncontrollably the physical natural resources for their survival. In this process, they exploit the Savana lands, forests, rivers and lakes to secure meat/fish, fruits, roots, leaves, nuts, wood and hunt even the endangered species. Again, severe havoc is caused to the environment as the vegetative cover is burnt, exposing the arable soil to erosion. The scorching sun bakes up the soil rendering it unsuitable for crop growth.

The food situation is uncertain in quantity and quality due to many intervening factors beyond their competence. The rural farmers live and subsist on what they produce and there are no choices on the basis of nutrition. This probably explains why they live in a constant state of endemic deprivation, suffering from malnutrition, debilitating diseases, resulting in high death rates.

This precarious food situation in the affected zones, has been a source of constant worries and preoccupation of the governments concerned. In Cameroon for example, the government has for several years embarked on a tree planting programme aimed at stopping the advancing desert. She built an agricultural research center, wildlife and agricultural training colleges, created an Aerial pest control unit equipped with aircraft to control migratory pests and established a cotton agro-industrial corporation to generate employment for the growing population. All these laudable efforts were made in an attempt to tackle what was perceived as the main obstacles to achieving food security and reducing rural poverty.

However, in recent years due to repeated crop failures caused by prolonged droughts and the massive influx of fleeing refugees, the governments were obliged to request for food aid. Public opinion was alerted to the vulnerable food Security Situation, a direct consequence of the lack of Sustainable Agricultural Development. The debate was open and solutions to the root causes of the poor agricultural production had to be found.

The author contacted the Israeli government for technical assistance and a team of experts was sent to investigate the problem. The results and conclusions of their findings indicated that diminishing surface water and soil erosion were a major handicap to SAD in the Semi-arid zones. The same findings also identified sources of available surface water for irrigated crop production.

These include :

     - shallow Aquifers along the banks of seasonal rivers,

     -building of reservoir-dams to collect water from flowing seasonal rivers,

     -tapping water from Perennial rivers in the region.

These additional irrigation water sources will substantially augment and stabilize the available soil water for agriculture and agro-pastoral production.

If the adequate measures that promote sustainable agricultural development are achieved, the rural population will be able to produce sufficient food for themselves and shall be saved from the spectre of famine, poverty and misery.

Our problem is well identified and we need practical solutions through technical and financial assistance to carry out prefeasibility studies coupled with research and development.

Logically speaking, one can draw conclusive lessons from an accomplished task or a development endeavour he has been involved in. In this case, making a comparative assessment and evaluation of the improvements that have occurred in the lives of the population, notably their food security situation and the poverty reduction level.