ILCA Research Report - No. 8.
Stephen Sandford
December 1983
INTERNATIONAL LIVESTOCK CENTRE FOR AFRICA
ADDIS ABABA, ETHIOPIA
|
ILCA PUBLICATIONS The International Livestock Centre for Africa (ILCA) is an autonomous, non-profit making research and information centre with a mandate to improve livestock production throughout sub-Saharan Africa. The activities and publications of the centre are financed by the Consultative Group on International Agricultural Research (CGIAR). The CGIAR members which have funded ILCA to date are the International Development Research Centre, the International Fund for Agricultural Development, the United Nations Development Programme, the World Bank, and the governments of Australia, Belgium, Denmark, the Federal Republic of Germany, France, Iran, Ireland, Italy, the Netherlands, Nigeria, Norway, Saudi Arabia, Sweden, Switzerland, the United Kingdom and the United States of America. Responsibility for ILCA publications rests solely with the centre and with such other parties as may be cited as joint authors. Until 1982, the centre's two main series of scientific publications were Systems Studies and Monographs. These two series have now been superceded by the present series of Research Reports. |
ORIGINAL: ENGLISH
ABSTRACT
This report, one of a series of three on livestock and water in Africa, defines the major agricultural production zones of tropical Africa with some account of the importance of land, livestock and water in each zone. Traditional and modern strategies used to overcome water shortages are discussed. The technical, administrative and environmental problems experienced in the past development of water supplies are then outlined as is the relationship between technology, equity, management and control. The implications of past experience for planning water development in the future are then considered. Proposals are made for future research which could lead to the formulation of improved policies and development programmes. An appendix gives a recommended nomenclature for the different kinds of water resources which could lead to greater precision and clarity in discussing water management.
KEY WORDS
/Tropical Africa/ /water management/ /water supply/ /land/animal production/ /traditional methods/ /research/recommendation/
RESUME
Le présent rapport qui fait partie d'une série de trots rapports de recherche sur le bétail et les ressources en eau en Afrique, définit les principales zones de production agricole de l'Afrique tropicale et présente un aperçu de l'importance relative des terres, de la population animale et des ressources en eau de chaque zone. Il étudie également les stratégies traditionnelles et modernes adoptées face aux pénuries d'eau. La suite du rapport dégage les difficultés techniques, administratives et écologiques relatives a l'approvisionnement en eau ainsi que les relations entre la technologie, l'équité, la gestion et la maîtrise des eaux. On y examine ensuite les implications de l'expérience acquise par le passe aux fins de la planification en matière de mise en valeur des ressources en eau dans l'avenir. Des propositions vent faites sur les perspectives de recherche qui pourraient conduire a la formulation de politiques et de programmes de développement améliorés. Une nomenclature classant les différents types de ressources en eau est recommandée en annexe afin que les discussions sur la gestion des ressources en eau puissant être plus claires et plus précises.
MOTS-CLES
/Afrique tropicale/ /gestion des ressources en eau/ /approvisionnement en eau/ /utilisation des terres/ /production animale/ /méthodes traditionnelles/ /recherche/ /recommandations/
This electronic document has been scanned using optical character recognition (OCR) software and careful manual recorrection. Even if the quality of digitalisation is high, the FAO declines all responsibility for any discrepancies that may exist between the present document and its original printed version.
1.1 Agricultural production zones
1.2 Water supplies
1.3 Livestock production systems
2. An outline of traditional strategies to overcome water shortage
2.1 A definition of traditional strategies
2.2 The strategy of investing in water supplies
2.3 The strategy of adjusting the species, age and sex composition of herds
2.4 The strategy of positioning livestock and conserving feed and water
2.5 The husbandry strategy
2.6 The strategy of managing and controlling water points
3. Production systems and traditional strategies: Some examples
3.1 The Kababish Arabs-pastoral nomads
3.2 The Berti - Mixed farmers in a dry area
3.3 Seminomadic Tuareg
3.4 Factors influencing the adoption of traditional strategies
4.1 Reducing the waste of energy in trekking to water
4.2 Controlling the intensity, evenness and period of grazing
4.3 Factors that determine the appropriateness of adopting modern strategies
5. The experience of water development
5.1 The popularity of water development
5.2 Water development in the past
5.3 Negative aspects of water development - Technical problems
5.4 Administrative and financial problems
5.5 Environmental problems and land use
5.6 The question of equity
6. Some pointers to the future
6.1 Water technology
6.2 The capacity and density of water points
6.3 Organisation and management
7. Postscript on research priorities