ICRISAT Archival Report 2006 - The seedlings of success in the ...

farmers are complaining of loss of some varieties and crops due to the shortening of crop cycle and repeated
droughts. The identification of constraints to uptake of modern technologies remains a major challenge for
national and international research and development institutions. The potential losses in bio-diversity need to be
proven as well as its impact on productivity and resilience. Research and development interventions likely to
enhance agricultural productivity are essential.
Livestock: Livestock rearing is practiced in all the 4 villages surveyed. The extensive mode remains the most
common and livestock is entrusted to shepherds who go in transhumance to look for grazing land. However,
during the last 25 years, population density and subsequent reductions of grazing areas are forcing households to
move into semi-intensive modes of livestock rearing. Livestock fattening is practiced by both men and women
to different degrees depending on the village. In the less favorable zone of Samari and Sadeizi Koira, women are
more involved in livestock fattening than men whereas in the average favorable area of Gobery and Fabidji,
both genders equally take part on this activity. Small ruminants constitute a households store of value or savings
schemes and are often used to smooth households’ consumption so as to ensure food security especially during
production risk fail-ures or to finance social events such as marriages. According to groups of farmers, during
the last 25 years, livestock density has decreased mainly due repeated droughts (1973 and 1984) and low
stocking rates on diminishing grazing areas. However, while cattle stocks owned have decreased per capita
many more households own small ruminants such as sheep and goats. Households own more livestock in the
low rainfall zone of Sadeizi Koira and Samari than the high rain-fall area of Gobery and Fabidji. Farmers are
claiming that the share of income from livestock is higher than that of crops in the low rainfall zone than else.
Crop-livestock interactions are stronger in the low rainfall zone than the high rainfall area. There is a need to
develop crop and production technologies that will in-crease the supply of feed resources. There is also need to
identify and develop institutions and policies that will enhance the development of the livestock sector
especially in the low rainfall areas.
Income diversification: Income diversification is a strategy used by households to cope with climatic,
production and price risks. Income diversification strategies change according to agro-climatic zone. In Gobery
and Fabidji, the presence of the dallol (with assured water) has provided opportunities to farmers to diversify
within the agricultural sector especially into vegetable production especially during off-seasons. In addition,
farmers have also well diversified much into the secondary and tertiary sectors mainly due to market
opportunities offered by their proximities to a large market: Fabidji. Processing, handicrafts, short and longdistance
trading for livestock or natron exporters, cereal trade, and a range of petty jobs such as groundnut oil
processing, vegetable sales, handicrafts are also well developed. Whereas in low rainfall areas of Samari and
Sadeizi Koira, there are few opportunities to diversify within the agricultural sector due to poor climatic
conditions.
Farmers are diversifying outside the sector. Long distance trading of wood, cowpea haulms or millet stalks and
migration are the main survival strategies. In all the villages surveyed, income diversification options have
changed in response to the development of markets opportunities, better use of resources (i.e. water in the
dallol), or low returns to agricultural labor. There is a need to identify household income diversification
strategies and the necessary policy, institutions and technological changes that would affect the rural non-farm
economy and translate these into research and development interventions that generate employment and reduce
poverty.
Migration: Migration is practiced in all the 4 villages but its importance in improving livelihood outcomes
varies by agro-climatic zone. There is short or long, seasonal or permanent migration. In Gobery and Fabidji,
migration tends to move from seasonal to even permanent. It is practiced mostly by the young men in the
households. According to groups of farmers interviewed, at least 1 out 3 households in the 2 villages has at least
one member in temporary or permanent migration. Revenues from the migration are shared within the
households and are partially used for investment or consumption purposes. In the low endowed areas of Sadeizi
Koira and Samari, migration is a major survival strategy. Every year, at least one member of the household is
engaged on seasonal migration. Revenues from migration are mainly used to secure household food security.
Both men and women migrate. Migration patterns have not changed much during the last 25 years but their
intensity and importance in livelihood strategy has significantly increased. The returns to migration, optimal
migration pathways and its impact on agricultural production and rural livelihoods should be well investigated.
Farmers’ organizations and markets: During the last 25 years, in all the villages, institutional build-up has
improved as a result of NGOs or rural development projects who have invested in building farmers’
organizations. Farmers are often organized around socio-professional groups with different socio-cultural and
economic interests. In Samari, farmers have organized committees to help resolve a range of socio-economic
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