A contribution to the concept and the classification of the bioclimatic  unit in Sub-Saharan Africa

A bioclimatic unit is an integration of climatic factors (e.g. radiation, humidity complexes) and features modified by physiography and vegetation (biotic communities and associated habitats, i.e. wherever possible, ecosystems). Unit implies an entity irrespective of ecological status and dimensions: these are otherwise differentiated. It often must suffice to use vegetation communities, because information regarding biotic communities or ecosystems is unavailable. Increasingly, disturbance of ‘natural’ conditions makes it imperative to involve man in the classification, demarcation and policy for the development of bioclimatic units. Ignorance regarding the nature and distribution of a climax necessitates using pro- (pre- or post-) climaxes.This is based upon the differentiation in these criteria: climatic (radiation and humidity complexes); vegetation (physiognomy and ecological status) . . . and as these are further modified by physiography and edaphic features (physiognomic differentiation ranges from specific faciations of forest or thicket); wooded savanna (facies ofwoodland, shrubland); facies or faciations of grassland; climatic differentiation ranges from highly humid toarid . . . and further to subdesert and desert. Recommendations respecting policy and practice in pastoral, crop production and forestry development based on this concept have been used in various sectors of Africa. South East Asia and Latin America. Detailed experience has been gained in Natal and elsewhere. Several maps illustrate the application of the concept.

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Wetlands in Ethiopia: Lessons From 20 years of Research, Policy and Practice

Wetlands ◽

10.1007/s13157-021-01420-x ◽

2021 ◽

Vol 41 (2) ◽

Author(s):

Alan Dixon ◽

Adrian Wood ◽

Afework Hailu

Keyword(s):

Research Policy ◽

Wetland Management ◽

Local Level ◽

National Policy ◽

Research Programme ◽

Sub Saharan Africa ◽

Policy And Practice ◽

Policy Goals ◽

Sub Saharan ◽

Wetland Use

AbstractThroughout sub-Saharan Africa wetlands provide ecosystem services that are critical to the development needs of many people. Local wetland use, however, is often at odds with broader national policy goals in which narratives of conservation and protection dominate, hence a recurring challenge is how to reconcile these tensions through the development of policies and field practice that deliver sustainable development. In this paper we examine the extent to which this challenge has been achieved in Ethiopia, charting the changes in wetlands policy and discourse over the last twenty years while reviewing the contribution of the multidisciplinary Ethiopian Wetlands Research Programme (EWRP) (1997–2000). Our analysis suggests that despite EWRP having a significant legacy in developing national interest in wetlands among research, government and non-governmental organisations, its more holistic social-ecological interpretation of wetland management remains neglected within a policy arena dominated by specific sectoral interests and little recognition of the needs of local people. In exploring the impacts at the local level, recent investigations with communities in Ilu Aba Bora Zone highlight adjustments in wetland use that famers attribute to environmental, economic and social change, but which also evidence the adaptive nature of wetland-based livelihoods.

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“They Do Not Care about Us Anymore”: Understanding the Situation of Older People in Ghana

International Journal of Environmental Research and Public Health ◽

10.3390/ijerph18052337 ◽

2021 ◽

Vol 18 (5) ◽

pp. 2337

Author(s):

Joseph Asumah Braimah ◽

Mark W. Rosenberg

Keyword(s):

Older People ◽

Lived Experiences ◽

Climatic Factors ◽

Sub Saharan Africa ◽

Structural Factors ◽

Sanitation Services ◽

Poor Access ◽

Access To Water ◽

Sub Saharan ◽

Sharing Circles

While existing research acknowledges copious challenges faced by older adults (people aged 60 and over) in Ghana and most countries in sub-Saharan Africa, they fail to situate the lived experiences of this vulnerable group within the broader context of health geography and public health. This paper draws insights from ecological systems theory and the “geographies of older people” literature to examine the lived experiences of older people in Ghana. Data for the study were gathered using interviews (42) and sharing circles (10). Our findings reveal a complex mix of experiences consistent with the different levels of the environment. Dominant themes include access to social support, functional impairment and poor health status, social status, poor access to water and sanitation services, food insecurity, economic insecurity, and caregiving burden. These findings support the wide-held notion that the experiences of older people are complex and produced by the interplay of both individual and structural factors. Our findings demonstrate that sociocultural, economic, political, and climatic factors are important consideration in promoting elderly wellbeing and quality of life in Ghana.

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Climate Smart Agriculture as Final Goal: Use of Improved Cereals Varieties in Cinzana, Mali.

Journal of Agricultural Studies ◽

10.5296/jas.v5i1.10582 ◽

2017 ◽

Vol 5 (1) ◽

pp. 50

Author(s):

Kalifa TRAORE ◽

Daouda SIDIBE ◽

Harouna COULIBALY

Keyword(s):

Food Security ◽

Water Conservation ◽

Crop Production ◽

Heavy Rain ◽

Sub Saharan Africa ◽

Improved Varieties ◽

Farmer Organizations ◽

Conservation Technology ◽

Sub Saharan ◽

Smart Agriculture

Climate variability and change are recognized as the greatest challenge to crop production and food security in sub-Saharan Africa. This work assesses farmers’ perception on the contribution of improved varieties of sorghum and millet in the search for food security in Cinzana rural commune of Mali in the current context of climate change.The methodology was based on focus group surveys with both, the decentralized technical services, administrative and municipal authorities, NGOs, farmer organizations and producers but also farmer exchanges visits on improved varieties tested in farmer’s field.The result shows that climate change is described by the majority of farmers (87%) as decrease in rainfall amount and length of rainy seasons, high increases in temperature and high deforestation and water scarcity. Unpredictability of climate, (80%), drought (70%) and heavy rain (65%) occurrence were identified as major perception of farmers on risks in climate for crop production and soil degradation. After farmers’ study tour, 80% of the participants mentioned a better growth of plants and increase of soil moisture with the use of contour ridges tillage as a water conservation technology. Adapted cycle (55%) and higher yield (37%) of improved varieties were farmer’s main drivers for adoption of improved millet and sorghum varieties.The study revealed that local farmers have substantial knowledge on climate variabilities and risks and also are aware of some adaptation strategies. However, for wide scale adoption of effective strategies, capacity strengthening appeared a prerequisite.

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Distance from Africa, not climate, explains within-population phenotypic diversity in humans

Proceedings of The Royal Society B Biological Sciences ◽

10.1098/rspb.2008.1563 ◽

2008 ◽

Vol 276 (1658) ◽

pp. 809-814 ◽

Cited By ~ 96

Author(s):

Lia Betti ◽

François Balloux ◽

William Amos ◽

Tsunehiko Hanihara ◽

Andrea Manica

Keyword(s):

Climatic Factors ◽

Phenotypic Diversity ◽

Morphological Diversity ◽

Sub Saharan Africa ◽

Relative Role ◽

Morphometric Traits ◽

Perfect Agreement ◽

Skull Measurements ◽

Sub Saharan

The relative importance of ancient demography and climate in determining worldwide patterns of human within-population phenotypic diversity is still open to debate. Several morphometric traits have been argued to be under selection by climatic factors, but it is unclear whether climate affects the global decline in morphological diversity with increasing geographical distance from sub-Saharan Africa. Using a large database of male and female skull measurements, we apply an explicit framework to quantify the relative role of climate and distance from Africa. We show that distance from sub-Saharan Africa is the sole determinant of human within-population phenotypic diversity, while climate plays no role. By selecting the most informative set of traits, it was possible to explain over half of the worldwide variation in phenotypic diversity. These results mirror those previously obtained for genetic markers and show that ‘bones and molecules’ are in perfect agreement for humans.

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Crop Production And Road Connectivity In Sub-Saharan Africa : A Spatial Analysis

10.1596/1813-9450-5385 ◽

2010 ◽

Cited By ~ 1

Author(s):

Emily Schmidt ◽

Paul Dorosh ◽

Hyoung-Gun Wang ◽

Liang You

Keyword(s):

Spatial Analysis ◽

Crop Production ◽

Sub Saharan Africa ◽

Sub Saharan

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Response of Chickpea (Cicer aritienum L.) to Sulphur and Zinc Nutrients Application and Rhizobium Inoculation in North Western Ethiopia

Turkish Journal of Agriculture - Food Science and Technology ◽

10.24925/turjaf.v8i10.2040-2048.3414 ◽

2020 ◽

Vol 8 (10) ◽

pp. 2040-2048

Author(s):

Beza Shewangizaw Woldearegay ◽

Anteneh Argaw ◽

Tesfaye Feyisa ◽

Birhan Abdulkadir ◽

Endalkachew Wold-Meskel

Keyword(s):

Crop Production ◽

Block Design ◽

P Uptake ◽

Sub Saharan Africa ◽

Limiting Factor ◽

Rhizobium Inoculation ◽

Combined Application ◽

Nodule Volume ◽

P Application ◽

Sub Saharan

In sub-Saharan Africa, multiple plant nutrients deficiency besides nitrogen (N) and phosphorus (P) is a major growth-limiting factor for crop production. As a result, some soils become non-responsive for Rhizobium inoculation besides P application. Based on the soil test result, the soil of Experimental sites had low organic matter (OM), nitrogen (N), phosphorus (P), sulphur (S) and zinc (Zn)[xy1]. Hence, an experiment was carried out on-farm at Gondar Zuria woreda in Tsion and Denzaz Kebeles to evaluate the effect of Rhizobium inoculation, S and Zn application on yield, nodulation, N and P uptake of chickpea. The experiment included twelve treatments developed via factorial combination of two level of inoculation (Rhizobium inoculated, un-inoculated), three level of S (0, 15, 30 kg Sulphur ha-1) and two levels of Zn (0, 1.5 kg Zinc ha-1). The treatment was laid out in randomized complete block design with three replications. Results showed that the highest mean nodule number (15.3) and nodule volume (1.3 ml plant-1) over locations were obtained with Rhizobium inoculation integrated with 15 kg S and 1.5 kg Zn ha-1 which resulted in 37.8% and 116.7% increment over the control check, respectively. It was also observed that combined application of Rhizobium and 30 kg S ha-1 caused the highest (6.7) mean nodulation rating and seed yield (1775.5 kg ha-1) over locations which resulted in 86.1% and 28 % increase over the control check, respectively. Moreover, this treatment improved P use efficiency of chickpea. On the bases of observed result, it can be concluded that the response of chickpea to Rhizobium and P application can be improved by S application and Rhizobium inoculation with application of 30 kg S ha-1 with recommended rate of P and starter N is recommended for chickpea production at the experimental locations in Gonder Zuria Woreda.

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