A revolution in African drylands agriculture is under way. Chris Reij shows what it means, how it's done - and how to boost it further.

1. LANDS OF OPPORTUNITY
RESTORE PRODUCTIVE CAPACITY IN AFRICA’S
DRYLANDS BY BUILDING ON SUCCESSES

2. CHALLENGE: INCREASE HOUSEHOLD FOOD
PRODUCTION, STABILIZE HH ACCESS TO FOOD AND
INCREASE WATER AVAILABILITY

3. THE CONVENTIONAL AGRICULTURAL MODERNISATION
PARADIGM IN ACTION
HOW SUSTAINABLE, IF IMPROVING SOIL ORGANIC
MATTER IS THE KEY TO SUSTAINING CROP YIELDS?
I

4. STUDY AREAS LONG TERM TRENDS
IN AGRICULTURE AND ENVIRONMENT

5. TREND 1
FARMERS INVEST IN AGROFORESTRY:
MILLIONS OF HA OF NEW AF
PARKLANDS)
TREND 2
REHABILITATION OF BARREN LAND
USING WATER HARVESTING
TECHNIQUES
(500,000 ha in Niger and Burkina Faso)

6. Vegetation in Galma in 1975 and 2003
(before and after)
1975 2003

7. Improved soil fertility, fodder production,
shade is « turning down the heat »

8. SHADE MAKES A DIFFERENCE TO PEOPLE,
CROPS AND LIVESTOCK

9. BAOBABS DOMINATE REGENERATION
IN PARTS MIRRIAH DEPARTMENT
(NIGER)

10. The annual value of the leaves of one
mature baobab varies from 28 $ – 70 US $
This can buy 70 – 175 kg of grain on the market
Source: Yamba and Sambo (2012)

11. Farmer-managed re-greening in
Niger
 5,000,000 ha re-greened in 20 years
(no recurrent costs to governments)
 200 million new trees (not planted)
 additional cereal production/year:
500,000 ton
 2.5 million people fed
 1.25 million farm households involved

12. Grain surplus Kantché Department
(Zinder/Niger). 350,000 inhabitants;
high on-farm tree density
 2007 + 21,230 ton
 2008 + 36,838 ton
 2009 + 28,122 ton
 2010 + 64,208 ton
 2011 + 13,818 ton
Source: National Committee for the Prevention and Management of
Food Crises and FEWS
Quoted by: Yamba and sambo (2012)

13. YOUNG COMBRETUM GLUTINOSUM PRODUCES
TONS OF LITTER : NO TRANSPORT AND SOME
SHADE TO CROPS

14. WATER HARVESTING AND AGROFORESTRY
Simple techniques
1990
Zaï Demi lunes
Important impacts
2004
Piliostigma reticulatum Combretum glutinosum

15. ZAI HELP CROPS GET THROUGH
DRY SPELLS

16. Internal rates of return to investments in:
Zaï (planting pits) 82%
Half moons 37%
Agroforestry 31%
Source: Abdoulaye and Ibro (2006)

17. October 1988 (water harvesting techniques
introduced on barren land in 1985)

18. SAME FIELD IN OCTOBER 2008

19. WATER HARVESTING TECHNIQUES CONTRIBUTE
TO LOCAL GROUNDWATER RECHARGE

20. Water levels in wells increased by 14 m
in 10 years (1994 – 2004) (picture Nov. 2004)

21. Water levels still high in January 2012 and
number of gardens incrased from:
0 in 1994
4 in 2004
10 in 2012

22. MORINGA: AN UNDERUTILIZED SPECIES WITH HIGH
IMPACT ON NUTRITION IS EXPANDING RAPIDLY
IN NIGER

23. AGROFORESTRY IS THE FUTURE OF AGRICULTURE
IN DRYLANDS AND SUB-HUMID REGIONS
NO RECURRENT COSTS TO GOVERNMENTS

24. CROP YIELDS CAN BE DOUBLED BY
INTEGRATING A SET OF PROVEN TECHNOLOGIES
+ +
Water Agroforestry Micro-dosing
harvesting

25. APPROACH: MOBILIZE MILLIONS OF FARMERS
TO INVEST IN TREES, MICRO DOSING,
WATER HARVESTING AND IMPROVED SEEDS

26. Some lessons
 Since the 1980s, a growing number of
farmers practise Climate Smart
Agriculture
 Farmers invest in trees if they have
clearly defined user rights
 Governments need to develop
supportive policies and legislation
 Much has been achieved, much more
remains to be done, and we know
what and how to do it

27. IT IS POSSIBLE TO IMPROVE FOOD SECURITY AND
LIVELIHOODS OF MILLIONS OF SMALL-SCALE
PRODUCERS IN AFRICA THROUGH RE-GREENING

28. Chris Reij
Senior Fellow
World Resources Institute
chris.reij@wri.org
c.p.reij@vu.nl
www.africa-regreening.blogspot.com