Natural resource technologies for semi-arid regions of sub-Saharan Africa.

2009 ◽  
pp. 261-274 ◽  
Author(s):  
B. I. Shapiro ◽  
J. H. Sanders
Keyword(s):  
Natural Resource ◽  
Arid Regions ◽  
Sub Saharan Africa ◽  
Sub Saharan ◽  
Semi Arid

scholarly journals Assessing Suitability of Sorghum to Alleviate Sub-Saharan Nutritional Deficiencies through the Nutritional Water Productivity Index in Semi-Arid Regions

Foods ◽  
2021 ◽  
Vol 10 (2) ◽  
pp. 385
Author(s):  
Sandile T. Hadebe ◽  
Albert T. Modi ◽  
Tafadzwanashe Mabhaudhi
Keyword(s):  
Water Scarcity ◽  
Arid Regions ◽  
Water Productivity ◽  
Sub Saharan Africa ◽  
Productivity Index ◽  
Nutritional Deficiencies ◽  
Sub Saharan ◽  
Sorghum Genotypes ◽  
Water Scarce ◽  
Semi Arid

Lack of cereal nutritional water productivity (NWP) information disadvantages linkages of nutrition to water–food nexus as staple food crops in Sub-Saharan Africa (SSA). This study determined the suitability of sorghum (Sorghum bicolor L. Moench) genotypes to alleviate protein, Zn and Fe deficiency under water-scarce dryland conditions through evaluation of NWP. Sorghum genotypes (Macia, Ujiba, PAN8816, IsiZulu) NWP was quantified from three planting seasons for various sorghum seed nutrients under dryland semi-arid conditions. Seasons by genotypes interaction highly and significantly affected NWPStarch, Ca, Cu, Fe, and significantly affected NWPMg, K, Na, P, Zn. Genotypic variations highly and significantly affected sorghum NWPProtein, Mn. Macia exhibited statistically superior NWPprotein (13.2–14.6 kg·m−3) and NWPZn (2.0–2.6 g·m−3) compared to other tested genotypes, while Macia NWPFe (2.6–2.7 g·m−3) was considerably inferior to that of Ujiba and IsiZulu landraces under increased water scarcity. Excellent overall NWPprotein, Fe and Zn under water scarcity make Macia a well-rounded genotype suitable to alleviating food and nutritional insecurity challenges in semi-arid SSA; however, landraces are viable alternatives with limited NWPprotein and Zn penalty under water-limited conditions. These results underline genotype selection as a vital tool in improving “nutrition per drop” in semi-arid regions.

The current bioenergy production potential of semi-arid and arid regions in sub-Saharan Africa

2011 ◽  
Vol 35 (7) ◽  
pp. 2773-2786 ◽  
Author(s):  
Birka Wicke ◽  
Edward Smeets ◽  
Helen Watson ◽  
André Faaij
Keyword(s):  
Arid Regions ◽  
Sub Saharan Africa ◽  
Production Potential ◽  
Bioenergy Production ◽  
Sub Saharan ◽  
Semi Arid

scholarly journals Multispectral Remote Sensing of Wetlands in Semi-Arid and Arid Areas: A Review on Applications, Challenges and Possible Future Research Directions

2020 ◽  
Vol 12 (24) ◽  
pp. 4190
Author(s):  
Siyamthanda Gxokwe ◽  
Timothy Dube ◽  
Dominic Mazvimavi
Keyword(s):  
Remote Sensing ◽  
Arid Regions ◽  
Remote Sensing Data ◽  
Sub Saharan Africa ◽  
Future Research ◽  
Multispectral Imagery ◽  
Aquatic Life ◽  
Sensing Data ◽  
Spatial Coverage ◽  
Semi Arid

Wetlands are ranked as very diverse ecosystems, covering about 4–6% of the global land surface. They occupy the transition zones between aquatic and terrestrial environments, and share characteristics of both zones. Wetlands play critical roles in the hydrological cycle, sustaining livelihoods and aquatic life, and biodiversity. Poor management of wetlands results in the loss of critical ecosystems goods and services. Globally, wetlands are degrading at a fast rate due to global environmental change and anthropogenic activities. This requires holistic monitoring, assessment, and management of wetlands to prevent further degradation and losses. Remote-sensing data offer an opportunity to assess changes in the status of wetlands including their spatial coverage. So far, a number of studies have been conducted using remotely sensed data to assess and monitor wetland status in semi-arid and arid regions. A literature search shows a significant increase in the number of papers published during the 2000–2020 period, with most of these studies being in semi-arid regions in Australia and China, and few in the sub-Saharan Africa. This paper reviews progress made in the use of remote sensing in detecting and monitoring of the semi-arid and arid wetlands, and focuses particularly on new insights in detection and monitoring of wetlands using freely available multispectral sensors. The paper firstly describes important characteristics of wetlands in semi-arid and arid regions that require monitoring in order to improve their management. Secondly, the use of freely available multispectral imagery for compiling wetland inventories is reviewed. Thirdly, the challenges of using freely available multispectral imagery in mapping and monitoring wetlands dynamics like inundation, vegetation cover and extent, are examined. Lastly, algorithms for image classification as well as challenges associated with their uses and possible future research are summarised. However, there are concerns regarding whether the spatial and temporal resolutions of some of the remote-sensing data enable accurate monitoring of wetlands of varying sizes. Furthermore, it was noted that there were challenges associated with the both spatial and spectral resolutions of data used when mapping and monitoring wetlands. However, advancements in remote-sensing and data analytics provides new opportunities for further research on wetland monitoring and assessment across various scales.

scholarly journals A Strategy for Technology Development for Semi-Arid Sub-Saharan Africa

1998 ◽  
Vol 27 (3) ◽  
pp. 157-161
Author(s):  
John H. Sanders ◽  
Barry I. Shapiro ◽  
Sunder Ramaswamy
Keyword(s):  
Development Strategy ◽  
Water Availability ◽  
New Technologies ◽  
Technology Development ◽  
Organic Fertilizer ◽  
Sub Saharan Africa ◽  
Inorganic Fertilizers ◽  
Strategy Evaluation ◽  
Sub Saharan ◽  
Semi Arid

This article proposes a strategy for agricultural technology development for semi-arid West Africa. The strategy evaluation consists of two aspects: a) a review of the successes in the region; and b) analysis with mathematical programming of the potential impacts and constraints to various new technologies tested in the region. The technology development strategy indicates how further productivity gains can be made by responding to the two principal constraints of water availability and soil fertility. These constraints must be simultaneously resolved but the strategy needs to be adapted for different soil characteristics and economic environments. The major emphasis is on the importance of the rapid introduction of inorganic fertilizers combined with techniques to increase water availability; organic and inorganic fertilizers need to be considered complements in the semi-arid regions. Farmers are already introducing labour intensive variations of these techniques in the most degraded regions. The policy concern is to encourage government policymakers to put a high priority on fertilizer and increase the availability of inorganic fertilizer while research efforts continue to develop improved methods for complementary use of organic fertilizer.

Focused groundwater recharge in a dryland environment: hydrometric and isotopic evidence from central Tanzania

2020 ◽  
Author(s):  
David Seddon ◽  
Japhet J. Kashaigili ◽  
Richard G. Taylor ◽  
Mark O. Cuthbert ◽  
Lucas Mihale ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Groundwater Recharge ◽  
Surface Waters ◽  
Poverty Alleviation ◽  
Managed Aquifer Recharge ◽  
Sub Saharan Africa ◽  
Aquifer Recharge ◽  
Ephemeral Stream ◽  
Groundwater Levels ◽  
Sub Saharan ◽  
Semi Arid

<p>Groundwater, and its replenishment via recharge, is critical to livelihoods and poverty alleviation in drylands of sub-Saharan Africa and beyond, yet the processes by which groundwater is replenished remain inadequately observed and resolved. Here, we present three lines of evidence, from an extensively-monitored wellfield in central semi-arid Tanzania, indicating focused groundwater recharge occurring via leakage from episodic, ephemeral stream discharges. First, the duration of ephemeral streamflow observed from daily records from 2007 to 2016 correlates strongly (R<sup>2</sup> = 0.85) with the magnitude of groundwater recharge events observed and estimated from piezometric observations. Second, high-resolution (hourly) monitoring of groundwater levels and stream stage, established in advance of the 2015-16 El Niño, shows the formation and decay of groundwater mounds beneath episodically inundated adjacent streambeds. Third, stable-isotope ratios of O and H of groundwater and precipitation as well as perennial and ephemeral surface waters trace the origin of groundwater to ephemeral stream discharges. The identification and characterisation of focused groundwater recharge have important implications not only, locally, for protecting and potentially augmenting replenishment of a wellfield supplying the capital of Tanzania through Managed Aquifer Recharge but also, more widely, in understanding and modelling groundwater recharge in dryland environments.</p>

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