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Agriculture in West Africa is constrained by several yield-limiting factors, such as poor soil fertility, erratic rainfall distributions and low input systems. Projected changes in climate, thus, pose a threat since crop production is mainly rain-fed. The impact of climate change and its variation on the productivity of cereals in smallholder settings under future production systems in Navrongo, Ghana and Nioro du Rip, Senegal was assessed in this study. Data on management practices obtained from household surveys and projected agricultural development pathways (through stakeholder engagements), soil data, weather data (historical: 1980–2009 and five General Circulation Models; mid-century time slice 2040–2069 for two Representative Concentration Pathways; 4.5 and 8.5) were used for the impact assessment, employing a crop simulation model. Ensemble maize yield changes under the sustainable agricultural development pathway (SDP) were −13 and −16%, while under the unsustainable development pathway (USDP), yield changes were −19 and −20% in Navrongo and Nioro du Rip, respectively. The impact on sorghum and millet were lower than that on maize. Variations in climate change impact among smallholders were high with relative standard deviations (RSD) of between 14% and 60% across the cereals with variability being higher under the USDP, except for millet. Agricultural production systems with higher intensification but with less emphasis on soil conservation (USDP) will be more negatively impacted by climate change compared to relatively sustainable ones (SDP).
Dilys MacCarthy; Myriam Adam; Bright Freduah; Benedicta Fosu-Mensah; Peter Ampim; Mouhamed Ly; Pierre Traore; Samuel Adiku. Climate Change Impact and Variability on Cereal Productivity among Smallholder Farmers under Future Production Systems in West Africa. Sustainability 2021, 13, 5191 .
AMA StyleDilys MacCarthy, Myriam Adam, Bright Freduah, Benedicta Fosu-Mensah, Peter Ampim, Mouhamed Ly, Pierre Traore, Samuel Adiku. Climate Change Impact and Variability on Cereal Productivity among Smallholder Farmers under Future Production Systems in West Africa. Sustainability. 2021; 13 (9):5191.
Chicago/Turabian StyleDilys MacCarthy; Myriam Adam; Bright Freduah; Benedicta Fosu-Mensah; Peter Ampim; Mouhamed Ly; Pierre Traore; Samuel Adiku. 2021. "Climate Change Impact and Variability on Cereal Productivity among Smallholder Farmers under Future Production Systems in West Africa." Sustainability 13, no. 9: 5191.
Climate change is estimated to exacerbate existing challenges faced by smallholder farmers in Sub-Sahara Africa. However, limited studies quantify the extent of variation in climate change impact under these systems at the local scale. The Decision Support System for Agro-technological Transfer (DSSAT) was used to quantify variation in climate change impacts on maize yield under current agricultural practices in semi-arid regions of Senegal (Nioro du Rip) and Ghana (Navrongo and Tamale). Multi-benchmark climate models (Mid-Century, 2040–2069 for two Representative Concentration Pathways, RCP4.5 and RCP8.5), and multiple soil and management information from agronomic surveys were used as input for DSSAT. The average impact of climate scenarios on grain yield among farms ranged between −9% and −39% across sites. Substantial variation in climate response exists across farms in the same farming zone with relative standard deviations from 8% to 117% at Nioro du Rip, 13% to 64% in Navrongo and 9% to 37% in Tamale across climate models. Variations in fertilizer application, planting dates and soil types explained the variation in the impact among farms. This study provides insight into the complexities of the impact of climate scenarios on maize yield and the need for better representation of heterogeneous farming systems for optimized outcomes in adaptation and resilience planning in smallholder systems.
Bright S. Freduah; Dilys S. MacCarthy; Myriam Adam; Mouhamed Ly; Alex C. Ruane; Eric C. Timpong-Jones; Pierre S. Traore; Kenneth J. Boote; Cheryl Porter; Samuel G. K. Adiku. Sensitivity of Maize Yield in Smallholder Systems to Climate Scenarios in Semi-Arid Regions of West Africa: Accounting for Variability in Farm Management Practices. Agronomy 2019, 9, 639 .
AMA StyleBright S. Freduah, Dilys S. MacCarthy, Myriam Adam, Mouhamed Ly, Alex C. Ruane, Eric C. Timpong-Jones, Pierre S. Traore, Kenneth J. Boote, Cheryl Porter, Samuel G. K. Adiku. Sensitivity of Maize Yield in Smallholder Systems to Climate Scenarios in Semi-Arid Regions of West Africa: Accounting for Variability in Farm Management Practices. Agronomy. 2019; 9 (10):639.
Chicago/Turabian StyleBright S. Freduah; Dilys S. MacCarthy; Myriam Adam; Mouhamed Ly; Alex C. Ruane; Eric C. Timpong-Jones; Pierre S. Traore; Kenneth J. Boote; Cheryl Porter; Samuel G. K. Adiku. 2019. "Sensitivity of Maize Yield in Smallholder Systems to Climate Scenarios in Semi-Arid Regions of West Africa: Accounting for Variability in Farm Management Practices." Agronomy 9, no. 10: 639.
Myriam Adam; K.A. Dzotsi; G. Hoogenboom; Pierre C. Sibiry Traore; C.H. Porter; H.F.W. Rattunde; B. Nebie; W.L. Leiser; E. Weltzien; J.W. Jones. Modelling varietal differences in response to phosphorus in West African sorghum. European Journal of Agronomy 2018, 100, 35 -43.
AMA StyleMyriam Adam, K.A. Dzotsi, G. Hoogenboom, Pierre C. Sibiry Traore, C.H. Porter, H.F.W. Rattunde, B. Nebie, W.L. Leiser, E. Weltzien, J.W. Jones. Modelling varietal differences in response to phosphorus in West African sorghum. European Journal of Agronomy. 2018; 100 ():35-43.
Chicago/Turabian StyleMyriam Adam; K.A. Dzotsi; G. Hoogenboom; Pierre C. Sibiry Traore; C.H. Porter; H.F.W. Rattunde; B. Nebie; W.L. Leiser; E. Weltzien; J.W. Jones. 2018. "Modelling varietal differences in response to phosphorus in West African sorghum." European Journal of Agronomy 100, no. : 35-43.
Agricultural intensification and efficient use and targeting of fertilizer inputs on smallholder farms is key to sustainably improve food security. The objective of this paper is to demonstrate how high-resolution satellite and unmanned aerial vehicle (UAV) images can be used to assess the spatial variability of yield, and yield response to fertilizer. The study included 48 and 50 smallholder fields monitored during the 2014 and 2015 cropping seasons south-east of Koutiala (Mali), cropped with the five major crops grown in the area (cotton, maize, sorghum, millet and peanuts). Each field included up to five plots with different fertilizer applications and one plot with farmer practice. Fortnightly, in-situ in each field data were collected synchronous with UAV imaging using a Canon S110 NIR camera. A concurrent series of very high-resolution satellite images was procured and these images were used to mask out trees. For each plot, we calculated vegetation index means, medians and coefficients of variation. Cross-validated general linear models were used to assess the predictability of relative differences in crop yield and yield response to fertilizer, explicitly accounting for the effects of fertility treatments, between-field and within-field variabilities. Differences between fields accounted for a much larger component of variation than differences between fertilization treatments. Vegetation indices from UAV images strongly related to ground cover (R2 = 0.85), light interception (R2 = 0.79) and vegetation indices derived from satellite images (R2 values of about 0.8). Within-plot distributions of UAV-derived vegetation index values were negatively skewed, and within-plot variability of vegetation index values was negatively correlated with yield. Plots on shallow soils with poor growing conditions showed the largest within-plot variability. GLM models including UAV derived estimates of light interception explained up to 78% of the variation in crop yield and 74% of the variation in fertilizer response within a single field. These numbers dropped to about 45% of the variation in yield and about 48% of the variation in fertilizer response when lumping all fields of a given crop, with Q2 values of respectively 22 and 40% respectively when tested with a leave-field-out procedure. This indicates that remotely sensed imagery doesn’t fully capture the influence of crop stress and management. Assessment of crop fertilizer responses with vegetation indices therefore needs a reference under similar management. Spatial variability in UAV-derived vegetation index values at the plot scale was significantly related to differences in yields and fertilizer responses. The strong relationships between light interception and ground cover indicate that combining vertical photographs or high-resolution remotely sensed vegetation indices with crop growth models allows to explicitly account for the spatial variability and will improve the accuracy of yield and crop production assessments, especially in heterogeneous smallholder conditions.
Antonius G.T. Schut; Pierre C. Sibiry Traore; Xavier Blaes; Rolf A. de By; Rolf A. de By. Assessing yield and fertilizer response in heterogeneous smallholder fields with UAVs and satellites. Field Crops Research 2018, 221, 98 -107.
AMA StyleAntonius G.T. Schut, Pierre C. Sibiry Traore, Xavier Blaes, Rolf A. de By, Rolf A. de By. Assessing yield and fertilizer response in heterogeneous smallholder fields with UAVs and satellites. Field Crops Research. 2018; 221 ():98-107.
Chicago/Turabian StyleAntonius G.T. Schut; Pierre C. Sibiry Traore; Xavier Blaes; Rolf A. de By; Rolf A. de By. 2018. "Assessing yield and fertilizer response in heterogeneous smallholder fields with UAVs and satellites." Field Crops Research 221, no. : 98-107.
Innovation platforms have emerged as a way of enhancing the resilience of agricultural and food systems in the face of environmental change. Consequently, a great deal of theoretical reflection and empirical research have been devoted to the goal of understanding the factors that enhance and constrain their functionality. In this article, we further examine this enquiry by applying the concept of institutional embeddedness, understood as encompassing elements of platform design, structure, and functions as well as aspects of the broader historical, political, and social context to which platforms are connected. We present a case study of sub-national platforms established in three districts of the climatically-stressed Upper West Region of Ghana and charged with facilitating climate change responses at the local level and channelling community priorities into national climate change policy. A different kind of organization − the traditional chief council, the agricultural extension service, and a local NGO − was chosen by members to convene and coordinate the platform in each district. We examine platform members’ accounts of the platform formation and selection of facilitating agent, their vision for platform roles, and their understandings of platform agenda and impacts. We analyse these narratives through the lens of institutional embeddedness, as expressed mostly, but not solely, by the choice of facilitating agents. We illustrate how the organizational position − and related vested interests − of facilitating agents contribute to shaping platform agendas, functions, and outcomes. This process hinges on the deployment of legitimacy claims, which may appeal to cultural tradition, technical expertise, community engagement, and dominant scientific narratives on climate change. Iinstitutional embeddedness is thereby shown to be a critical aspect of agency in multi-actor processes, contributing to framing local understandings of the climate change and to channelling collective efforts towards select response strategies. In conclusion, we stress that the institutional identity of facilitating agents and their relationship to members of the platform and to powerholders in the broader context provides a useful diagnostic lens to analyse the processes that shape the platform’s ability to achieve its goals
Edmond Totin; Carla Roncoli; Pierre C. Sibiry Traore; Jacques Somda; Robert Zougmoré. How does institutional embeddedness shape innovation platforms? A diagnostic study of three districts in the Upper West Region of Ghana. NJAS - Wageningen Journal of Life Sciences 2018, 84, 27 -40.
AMA StyleEdmond Totin, Carla Roncoli, Pierre C. Sibiry Traore, Jacques Somda, Robert Zougmoré. How does institutional embeddedness shape innovation platforms? A diagnostic study of three districts in the Upper West Region of Ghana. NJAS - Wageningen Journal of Life Sciences. 2018; 84 (1):27-40.
Chicago/Turabian StyleEdmond Totin; Carla Roncoli; Pierre C. Sibiry Traore; Jacques Somda; Robert Zougmoré. 2018. "How does institutional embeddedness shape innovation platforms? A diagnostic study of three districts in the Upper West Region of Ghana." NJAS - Wageningen Journal of Life Sciences 84, no. 1: 27-40.
Enforcement of rules and laws designed at the national level is still one of the dominant institutional mechanisms for effective multiscale governance in most countries. At times, such blanket regulations are not only unable to meet practical needs at local levels, but they may conflict with local institutional logics, thereby creating new challenges. This study looks at three institutional arrangements in the agriculture and food security sector in the district of Koutiala, Mali to analyse the institutional variety across scale and the underlying institutional logics. On one side, the Cooperative Law as well as the Seed Law both designed at national level to enable famers’ access to agriculture services and improved seeds have yielded mixed results with regard to anticipated outcomes. The cooperative law is believed to degrade the social cohesion and the mutual support on which vulnerable farmers rely when facing climatic and non-climatic risks whereas the new seed system is found onerous and unaffordable for farmers. On the other side, the local convention for the management of natural resources established as part of ongoing decentralised governance policy seems to resonate with local culture but challenged by other stakeholders. Through exploring these cases, this paper tests bricolage as an analytical framework for doing an institutional diagnostic. It aims at contributing to methodological and theoretical insights on the way sustainable institutions can be generated in conflicting institutional logics in the context of multi-scale governance
Amadou Sidibé; Edmond Totin; Mary Thompson-Hall; Oumar T. Traoré; Pierre C. Sibiry Traore; Laura Schmitt Olabisi. Multi-scale governance in agriculture systems: Interplay between national and local institutions around the production dimension of food security in Mali. NJAS - Wageningen Journal of Life Sciences 2018, 84, 94 -102.
AMA StyleAmadou Sidibé, Edmond Totin, Mary Thompson-Hall, Oumar T. Traoré, Pierre C. Sibiry Traore, Laura Schmitt Olabisi. Multi-scale governance in agriculture systems: Interplay between national and local institutions around the production dimension of food security in Mali. NJAS - Wageningen Journal of Life Sciences. 2018; 84 (1):94-102.
Chicago/Turabian StyleAmadou Sidibé; Edmond Totin; Mary Thompson-Hall; Oumar T. Traoré; Pierre C. Sibiry Traore; Laura Schmitt Olabisi. 2018. "Multi-scale governance in agriculture systems: Interplay between national and local institutions around the production dimension of food security in Mali." NJAS - Wageningen Journal of Life Sciences 84, no. 1: 94-102.
In Southern Mali, high yield variability caused by rainfall distribution, local soil fertility and farmer management impacts the vulnerability of smallholder farmers. To better understand yield variation on a yearly basis and in a food security context, it is necessary to adequately estimate the crop yield. As yield assessment requires accurate crop type maps, the first step of the present paper is to classify crop types with the 10-20 m resolution time series of Sentinel-2 satellite. A random forest classifier applied under the cropland area produces a crop type map with an overall accuracy of 85%. The best performances are met for cotton (Fscore 93.86%), maize (Fscore 87.52%) and millet (82.5%) while sorghum (Fscore 45.7%) and peanut (Fscore 71%) show lower results. In a second phase, the yield estimation is based on linear regressions with vegetation indices (VI) or Leaf Area Index (LAI). The best performance is met with the maximum LAI (obtained from Sentinel-2) accross the growing season and reaches an average R 2 of 0.61 for all crop types. This very simple proxy is ambitious for food security as crop yield map can be produced with high accuracy. Thus yield variation can easily be assessed and could help to better target agricultural interventions at the farm or village scale.
Marie-Julie Lambert; Xavier Blaes; Pierre Sibiry Traore; Pierre Defourny. Estimate yield at parcel level from S2 time serie in sub-Saharan smallholder farming systems. 2017 9th International Workshop on the Analysis of Multitemporal Remote Sensing Images (MultiTemp) 2017, 1 -7.
AMA StyleMarie-Julie Lambert, Xavier Blaes, Pierre Sibiry Traore, Pierre Defourny. Estimate yield at parcel level from S2 time serie in sub-Saharan smallholder farming systems. 2017 9th International Workshop on the Analysis of Multitemporal Remote Sensing Images (MultiTemp). 2017; ():1-7.
Chicago/Turabian StyleMarie-Julie Lambert; Xavier Blaes; Pierre Sibiry Traore; Pierre Defourny. 2017. "Estimate yield at parcel level from S2 time serie in sub-Saharan smallholder farming systems." 2017 9th International Workshop on the Analysis of Multitemporal Remote Sensing Images (MultiTemp) , no. : 1-7.
Groundnut production is limited in sub-saharan Africa (SSA) and water deficit or ‘drought’, is often considered as the main yield-limiting factor. However, no comprehensive study has assessed the extent and intensity of ‘drought’-related yield decreases, nor has it explored avenues to enhance productivity. Hence, crop simulation modelling with SSM (Simple Simulation Modeling) was used to address these issues. To palliate the lack of reliable weather data as input to the model, the validity of weather data generated by Marksim, a weather generator, was tested. Marksim provided good weather representation across a large gradient of rainfall, representative of the region, and although rainfall generated by Marksim was above observations, run-off from Marksim data was also higher, and consequently simulations using observed or Marksim weather agreed closely across this gradient of weather conditions (RMSE=99g.m-2; R2 = 0.81 for pod yield). More importantly, simulation of yield changes upon agronomic or genetic alterations in the model were equally predicted with Marksim weather. A 1º×1º grid of weather data was generated. ‘Drought’-related yield reduction were limited to latitudes above 12-13 degrees north in West Central Africa (WCA) and to the Eastern fringes of Tanzania and Mozambique in East South Africa (ESA). Simulation and experimental trials also showed that doubling the sowing density of Spanish cultivars from 20 to 40 plants m-2 would increase yield dramatically in both WCA and ESA. However, increasing density would require growers to invest in more seeds and likely additional labor. If these trade-offs cannot be alleviated, genetic improvement would then need to re-focus on a plant type that is adapted to the current low sowing density, like a runner rather than a bush plant type, which currently receives most of the genetic attention. Genetic improvement targeting ‘drought’ adaptation should also be restricted to areas where water is indeed an issue, i.e. above 12-13ºN latitude in WCA and the Eastern fringes of Tanzania and Mozambique.
Vincent Vadez; Oumarou Halilou; Halime M. Hissene; Pierre Sibiry-Traore; Thomas R. Sinclair; Afshin Soltani. Mapping Water Stress Incidence and Intensity, Optimal Plant Populations, and Cultivar Duration for African Groundnut Productivity Enhancement. Frontiers in Plant Science 2017, 8, 1 .
AMA StyleVincent Vadez, Oumarou Halilou, Halime M. Hissene, Pierre Sibiry-Traore, Thomas R. Sinclair, Afshin Soltani. Mapping Water Stress Incidence and Intensity, Optimal Plant Populations, and Cultivar Duration for African Groundnut Productivity Enhancement. Frontiers in Plant Science. 2017; 8 ():1.
Chicago/Turabian StyleVincent Vadez; Oumarou Halilou; Halime M. Hissene; Pierre Sibiry-Traore; Thomas R. Sinclair; Afshin Soltani. 2017. "Mapping Water Stress Incidence and Intensity, Optimal Plant Populations, and Cultivar Duration for African Groundnut Productivity Enhancement." Frontiers in Plant Science 8, no. : 1.
Better defining niches for the photoperiod sensitive sorghum (Sorghum bicolor L. Moench) varieties of West Africa into the local cropping system might help to improve the resilience of food production in the region. In particular, crop models are key tools to assess the growth and development of such varieties against climate and soil variability. In this study, we compared the performance of three process-based crop models (APSIM, DSSAT and Samara) for prediction of diverse sorghum germplasm having widely varying photoperiod sensitivity (PPS) using detailed growth and development observations from field trials conducted in West Africa semi-arid region. Our results confirmed the capability of each selected model to reproduce growth and development for varieties of diverse sensitivities to photoperiod. Simulated phenology and morphology organs during calibration and validation were within the closet range of measured values with the evaluation of model error statistics (RMSE and R2). With the exception of highly sensitive variety (IS15401), APSIM and Samara estimates indicate the lowest value of RMSE (<7days) against the observed values for phenology events (flowering and maturity) compared to DSSAT model. Across the varieties, there was over-estimation for simulated leaf area index (LAI) while total leaf number (TLN) fitted well with the observed values. Samara estimates were found to be the closet with the lowest RMSE values (<3 leaves for TLN and <1.0 m2/m2 for LAI) followed by DSSAT and APSIM respectively. Prediction of grain yield and biomass was less accurate for both calibration and validation. The predictions using APSIM were found to be closest to the observed followed by DSSAT and Samara models respectively. Based on detailed field observations, this study showed that crop models captured well the phenology and leaf development of the photoperiod sensitive (PPS) varieties of West Africa, but failed to estimate accurately partitioning of assimilates during grain filling. APSIM and SAMARA as more mechanistic crop models, have a higher sensitivity of the adjustment of key parameters, notably the specific leaf area for APSIM in low PPS varieties, while SAMARA shows a higher response to parameters changes for high PPS varieties.
F.M Akinseye; Myriam Adam; S.O Agele; Munir Hoffmann; Pierre C. Sibiry Traore; A.M. Whitbread. Assessing crop model improvements through comparison of sorghum ( sorghum bicolor L. moench) simulation models: A case study of West African varieties. Field Crops Research 2016, 201, 19 -31.
AMA StyleF.M Akinseye, Myriam Adam, S.O Agele, Munir Hoffmann, Pierre C. Sibiry Traore, A.M. Whitbread. Assessing crop model improvements through comparison of sorghum ( sorghum bicolor L. moench) simulation models: A case study of West African varieties. Field Crops Research. 2016; 201 ():19-31.
Chicago/Turabian StyleF.M Akinseye; Myriam Adam; S.O Agele; Munir Hoffmann; Pierre C. Sibiry Traore; A.M. Whitbread. 2016. "Assessing crop model improvements through comparison of sorghum ( sorghum bicolor L. moench) simulation models: A case study of West African varieties." Field Crops Research 201, no. : 19-31.
Soil fertility in smallholder farming areas is known to vary strongly on multiple scales. This study measures the sensitivity of the recorded satellite signal to on-farm soil fertility treatments applied to five crop types, and quantifies this fertilization effect with respect to within-field variation, between-field variation and field position in the catena. Plant growth was assessed in 5–6 plots per field in 48 fields located in the Sudano-Sahelian agro-ecological zone of southeastern Mali. A unique series of Very High Resolution (VHR) satellite and Unmanned Aerial Vehicle (UAV) images were used to calculate the Normalized Difference Vegetation Index (NDVI). In this experiment, for half of the fields at least 50% of the NDVI variance within a field was due to fertilization. Moreover, the sensitivity of NDVI to fertilizer application was crop-dependent and varied through the season, with optima at the end of August for peanut and cotton and early October for sorghum and maize. The influence of fertilizer on NDVI was comparatively small at the landscape scale (up to 35% of total variation), relative to the influence of other components of variation such as field management and catena position. The NDVI response could only partially be benchmarked against a fertilization reference within the field. We conclude that comparisons of the spatial and temporal responses of NDVI, with respect to fertilization and crop management, requires a stratification of soil catena-related crop growth conditions at the landscape scale.
Xavier Blaes; Guillaume Chomé; Marie-Julie Lambert; Pierre Sibiry Traoré; Antonius G. T. Schut; Pierre Defourny. Quantifying Fertilizer Application Response Variability with VHR Satellite NDVI Time Series in a Rainfed Smallholder Cropping System of Mali. Remote Sensing 2016, 8, 531 .
AMA StyleXavier Blaes, Guillaume Chomé, Marie-Julie Lambert, Pierre Sibiry Traoré, Antonius G. T. Schut, Pierre Defourny. Quantifying Fertilizer Application Response Variability with VHR Satellite NDVI Time Series in a Rainfed Smallholder Cropping System of Mali. Remote Sensing. 2016; 8 (6):531.
Chicago/Turabian StyleXavier Blaes; Guillaume Chomé; Marie-Julie Lambert; Pierre Sibiry Traoré; Antonius G. T. Schut; Pierre Defourny. 2016. "Quantifying Fertilizer Application Response Variability with VHR Satellite NDVI Time Series in a Rainfed Smallholder Cropping System of Mali." Remote Sensing 8, no. 6: 531.
Participatory scenario processes are associated with positive social learning outcomes, including consensus-building and shifts toward more systemic thinking. However, these claims have not been assessed quantitatively in diverse cultural and socio-ecological settings. We convened three stakeholder workshops around the future of agricultural development and rural livelihoods in Burkina Faso, Nigeria, and Malawi, using a participatory scenario generation process to examine proposed research and action priorities under conditions of uncertainty. We administered pre- and post-workshop surveys, and used a paired t-test to assess how stakeholders’ rankings of research priorities changed after participating in the scenario visioning exercise. Workshop participants also listed their own priorities for research and implementation on both the pre- and post-survey forms. We found indications that the workshops promoted consensus-building around the research priorities, including a reduction in standard deviation of priority rankings post-workshop compared to pre-workshop; and a higher incidence of identical volunteered responses. We did not find evidence to support shifts in thinking to more systemic views of agricultural development. However, participants viewed themselves as having learned throughout the process. We conclude that scenario visioning does have the potential to foster consensus-building (one element of social learning) among diverse stakeholder groups. We urge researchers to continue to monitor and measure systems thinking outcomes from scenario visioning so that these processes may be designed to be more effective.
Laura Schmitt Olabisi; Jelili Adebiyi; Pierre C. Sibiry Traore; Mayamiko Nathaniel Kakwera. Do participatory scenario exercises promote systems thinking and build consensus? Elementa: Science of the Anthropocene 2016, 4, 000113 .
AMA StyleLaura Schmitt Olabisi, Jelili Adebiyi, Pierre C. Sibiry Traore, Mayamiko Nathaniel Kakwera. Do participatory scenario exercises promote systems thinking and build consensus? Elementa: Science of the Anthropocene. 2016; 4 (1):000113.
Chicago/Turabian StyleLaura Schmitt Olabisi; Jelili Adebiyi; Pierre C. Sibiry Traore; Mayamiko Nathaniel Kakwera. 2016. "Do participatory scenario exercises promote systems thinking and build consensus?" Elementa: Science of the Anthropocene 4, no. 1: 000113.
The agroecological zones (AEZ) of Mali fall within the semi-arid climate, the ability to determine efficiently or predict accurately the onset of growing season (OGS), and length of growing season (LGS) cannot be over-emphasized due to highly variable rainfall pattern and the dependence of smallholder farmers practising on rainfed farming agriculture. In this study, we determined the most suitable method for predicting the onset date of rainfall across AEZ that fitted with the planting windows of major cereal crops (maize, millet, and sorghum). Using long-term daily rainfall records from 22 meteorological stations spread across AEZ of Mali, four (4) known methods were applied to determine the onset dates of the rain. The mean onset dates were statistically compared with the farmer’s planting window for the selected weather stations to determine the suitable dates of OGS and LGS. The hypothesis considered a time lag minimum of 7 days between the mean onset date and traditional farmer sowing dates for the crops. Then, the preferred method was used to estimate OGS based on early, normal and late dates respectively across the stations. Also, the estimated LGS according to each zone was evaluated using probability distribution chart with duration to maturity for varieties of the same crops. The results showed that Def_4 was found appropriate for Sahelian and Sudano-Sahelian zones; Def_3 satisfied the criteria and exhibited superior capacity into farmer’s average planting date over Sudanian and Guinea Savannah zones. These results have an important application in cropping systems in order to prevent crop failure and ensure a better choice of crop variety according to LGS under climate variability and change being experienced across Mali.
F. M. Akinseye; S. O. Agele; Pierre C. Sibiry Traore; Myriam Adam; A. M. Whitbread. Evaluation of the onset and length of growing season to define planting date—‘a case study for Mali (West Africa)’. Theoretical and Applied Climatology 2015, 124, 973 -983.
AMA StyleF. M. Akinseye, S. O. Agele, Pierre C. Sibiry Traore, Myriam Adam, A. M. Whitbread. Evaluation of the onset and length of growing season to define planting date—‘a case study for Mali (West Africa)’. Theoretical and Applied Climatology. 2015; 124 (3-4):973-983.
Chicago/Turabian StyleF. M. Akinseye; S. O. Agele; Pierre C. Sibiry Traore; Myriam Adam; A. M. Whitbread. 2015. "Evaluation of the onset and length of growing season to define planting date—‘a case study for Mali (West Africa)’." Theoretical and Applied Climatology 124, no. 3-4: 973-983.
Maintaining high levels of productivity under climate change will require developing cultivars that are able to perform under varying drought and heat stresses and with maturities that match water availability. The CSM-CERES-Sorghum model was used to quantify the potential benefits of altering crop life cycle, enhancing yield potential traits, and incorporating drought and heat tolerance in the commonly grown cultivar types at two sites each in India (cv. CSV 15 at both Akola and Indore) and Mali (cv. CSM 335 at Samanko and cv. CSM 63E at Cinzana), West Africa. Under current climate CSV 15 on average matured in 108 days and produced 3790 kg ha−1 grain yield at Akola; whereas at Indore it matured in 115 days and produced 3540 kg ha−1 grain yield. Similarly under current climate, CSM 335 matured in 120 days and produced 2700 kg ha−1 grain yield at Samanko; whereas CSM 63E matured in 85 days at Cinzana and produced 2210 kg ha−1 grain yield. Decreasing crop life cycle duration of cultivars by 10% decreased yields at all the sites under both current and future climates. In contrast, increasing crop life cycle by 10% increased yields up to 12% at Akola, 9% at Indore, 8% at Samanko and 33% at Cinzana. Enhancing yield potential traits (radiation use efficiency, relative leaf size and partitioning of assimilates to the panicle each increased by 10%) in the longer cycle cultivars increased the yields by 11–18% at Akola, 17–19% at Indore, 10–12% at Samanko and 14–25% at Cinzana under current and future climates of the sites. Except for the Samanko site, yield gains were larger by incorporating drought tolerance than heat tolerance under the current climate. However, under future climates yield gains were higher by incorporating heat tolerance at Akola, Samanko and Cinzana, but not at Indore. Net benefits of incorporating both drought and heat tolerance increased yield up to 17% at Akola, 9% at Indore, 7% at Samanko and 16% at Cinzana under climate change. It is concluded that different combinations of traits will be needed to increase and sustain productivity of sorghum in current and future climates at these target sites and that the CSM-CERES-Sorghum model can be used to quantify benefits of incorporating certain traits.
Piara Singh; Swamikannu Nedumaran; Pierre C. Sibiry Traore; Kenneth Boote; H.F.W. Rattunde; P.V. Vara Prasad; N.P. Singh; K. Srinivas; M.C.S. Bantilan. Quantifying potential benefits of drought and heat tolerance in rainy season sorghum for adapting to climate change. Agricultural and Forest Meteorology 2013, 185, 37 -48.
AMA StylePiara Singh, Swamikannu Nedumaran, Pierre C. Sibiry Traore, Kenneth Boote, H.F.W. Rattunde, P.V. Vara Prasad, N.P. Singh, K. Srinivas, M.C.S. Bantilan. Quantifying potential benefits of drought and heat tolerance in rainy season sorghum for adapting to climate change. Agricultural and Forest Meteorology. 2013; 185 ():37-48.
Chicago/Turabian StylePiara Singh; Swamikannu Nedumaran; Pierre C. Sibiry Traore; Kenneth Boote; H.F.W. Rattunde; P.V. Vara Prasad; N.P. Singh; K. Srinivas; M.C.S. Bantilan. 2013. "Quantifying potential benefits of drought and heat tolerance in rainy season sorghum for adapting to climate change." Agricultural and Forest Meteorology 185, no. : 37-48.
Tiganadaba Lodoun; Moussa Sanon; Alessandra Giannini; Pierre C. Sibiry Traore; Léopold Somé; Jeanne Millogo Rasolodimby. Seasonal forecasts in the Sahel region: the use of rainfall-based predictive variables. Theoretical and Applied Climatology 2013, 117, 485 -494.
AMA StyleTiganadaba Lodoun, Moussa Sanon, Alessandra Giannini, Pierre C. Sibiry Traore, Léopold Somé, Jeanne Millogo Rasolodimby. Seasonal forecasts in the Sahel region: the use of rainfall-based predictive variables. Theoretical and Applied Climatology. 2013; 117 ():485-494.
Chicago/Turabian StyleTiganadaba Lodoun; Moussa Sanon; Alessandra Giannini; Pierre C. Sibiry Traore; Léopold Somé; Jeanne Millogo Rasolodimby. 2013. "Seasonal forecasts in the Sahel region: the use of rainfall-based predictive variables." Theoretical and Applied Climatology 117, no. : 485-494.
Ludger Herrmann; Bettina Irmgard Gabriela Haussmann; Tom Van Mourik; Pierre C. Sibiry Traore; Hannatou Moussa Oumarou; Kalifa Traoré; Mahama Ouedraogo; Jesse Naab. Coping with climate variability and change in research for development targeting West Africa: Need for paradigm changes. Sécheresse 2013, 24, 294 -303.
AMA StyleLudger Herrmann, Bettina Irmgard Gabriela Haussmann, Tom Van Mourik, Pierre C. Sibiry Traore, Hannatou Moussa Oumarou, Kalifa Traoré, Mahama Ouedraogo, Jesse Naab. Coping with climate variability and change in research for development targeting West Africa: Need for paradigm changes. Sécheresse. 2013; 24 (4):294-303.
Chicago/Turabian StyleLudger Herrmann; Bettina Irmgard Gabriela Haussmann; Tom Van Mourik; Pierre C. Sibiry Traore; Hannatou Moussa Oumarou; Kalifa Traoré; Mahama Ouedraogo; Jesse Naab. 2013. "Coping with climate variability and change in research for development targeting West Africa: Need for paradigm changes." Sécheresse 24, no. 4: 294-303.
Daily rainfall records of 39 stations spanning the different agro—climatic zones of Burkina Faso were analyzed to describe the evolution of five seasonal rainfall descriptors over time. The period from1941 to 2000, including the two most contrasted periods in the recent history of the Sahelian climate, i.e. the wet decades (1941–1970) and the dry decades (1971–2000), were considered. It was found that certain seasonal descriptors—namely total seasonal rainfall, number of rain-days and cessation dates of the rainy season—when aggregated into annual and national means manifested almost the same evolution pattern; while others, notably average rainfall per rain-day and onset date of the growing period, showed different patterns of evolution. It was concluded that the recent reduction in seasonal precipitation amount was related to a reduced number of rain-days in August and September, with precocious cessation of the rainy season as a consequence. However, all the seasonal descriptors showed recovery trends since the end of the 1980s, with the mean rainfall per rain-day, exhibiting the steadiest trend. But, the descriptors were more volatile during that recovery time according to the upward trends in their interannual variability. Importantly, the links between the seasonal descriptors and two sea surface temperature indexes were discussed in light of climate change impacts on rain-fed agriculture, the main source of food for the population of Burkina Faso. The results should be incorporated in alleviation strategies of climate change impacts in the Sahel region.
Tiganadaba Lodoun; Alessandra Giannini; Pierre Sibiry Traoré; Léopold Somé; Moussa Sanon; Michel Vaksmann; Jeanne Millogo Rasolodimby. Changes in seasonal descriptors of precipitation in Burkina Faso associated with late 20th century drought and recovery in West Africa. Environmental Development 2013, 5, 96 -108.
AMA StyleTiganadaba Lodoun, Alessandra Giannini, Pierre Sibiry Traoré, Léopold Somé, Moussa Sanon, Michel Vaksmann, Jeanne Millogo Rasolodimby. Changes in seasonal descriptors of precipitation in Burkina Faso associated with late 20th century drought and recovery in West Africa. Environmental Development. 2013; 5 ():96-108.
Chicago/Turabian StyleTiganadaba Lodoun; Alessandra Giannini; Pierre Sibiry Traoré; Léopold Somé; Moussa Sanon; Michel Vaksmann; Jeanne Millogo Rasolodimby. 2013. "Changes in seasonal descriptors of precipitation in Burkina Faso associated with late 20th century drought and recovery in West Africa." Environmental Development 5, no. : 96-108.
Semi‐arid and subhumid West Africa is characterized by high inter‐annual rainfall variability, with variable onset of the rainy season, somewhat more predictable endings, and drought or excess water occurrence at any time during the growing season. Climate change is predicted to increase this variability. This article summarizes options for plant breeders to enhance the adaptation of pearl millet (Pennisetum glaucum [L.] R. Br.) and sorghum (Sorghum bicolor [L.] Moench) to climate variability in West Africa. Developing variety types with high degrees of heterozygosity and genetic heterogeneity for adaptation traits helps achieving better individual and population buffering capacity. Traits that potentially enhance adaptive phenotypic plasticity or yield stability in variable climates include photoperiod‐sensitive flowering, plastic tillering, flooding tolerance, seedling heat tolerance and phosphorus efficiency. Farmer‐participatory dynamic gene pool management using broad‐based populations and diverse selection environments is useful to develop new diverse germplasm adapted to specific production constraints including climate variability. For sustainable productivity increase, improved cultivars should respond to farmer‐adoptable soil fertility management and water harvesting techniques. Larger‐scale, on‐farm participatory testing will enable assessments of varietal performance under evolving climatic variability, provide perspective on needs and opportunities and enhance adoption. Strengthening seed systems will be required to achieve sustainable impacts.
Bettina I.G. Haussmann; H. Frederick W. Rattunde; E. Weltzien-Rattunde; Pierre C. Sibiry Traore; Kirsten Vom Brocke; Heiko K. Parzies. Breeding Strategies for Adaptation of Pearl Millet and Sorghum to Climate Variability and Change in West Africa. Journal of Agronomy and Crop Science 2012, 198, 327 -339.
AMA StyleBettina I.G. Haussmann, H. Frederick W. Rattunde, E. Weltzien-Rattunde, Pierre C. Sibiry Traore, Kirsten Vom Brocke, Heiko K. Parzies. Breeding Strategies for Adaptation of Pearl Millet and Sorghum to Climate Variability and Change in West Africa. Journal of Agronomy and Crop Science. 2012; 198 (5):327-339.
Chicago/Turabian StyleBettina I.G. Haussmann; H. Frederick W. Rattunde; E. Weltzien-Rattunde; Pierre C. Sibiry Traore; Kirsten Vom Brocke; Heiko K. Parzies. 2012. "Breeding Strategies for Adaptation of Pearl Millet and Sorghum to Climate Variability and Change in West Africa." Journal of Agronomy and Crop Science 198, no. 5: 327-339.
Little information is available on the extent and patterns of gene flow and genetic diversity between cultivated sorghum and its wild related taxa under local agricultural conditions in Africa. As well as expanding knowledge on the evolutionary and domestication processes for sorghum, such information also has importance in biosafety, conservation and breeding programmes. Here, we examined the magnitude and dynamics of crop–wild gene flow and genetic variability in a crop–wild–weedy complex of sorghum under traditional farming in Meru South district, Kenya. We genotyped 110 cultivated sorghum, and 373 wild sorghum individuals using a panel of ten polymorphic microsatellite loci. We combined traditional measures of genetic diversity and differentiation with admixture analysis, population assignment, and analyses of spatial genetic structure to assess the extent and patterns of gene flow and diversity between cultivated and wild sorghum. Our results indicate that gene flow is asymmetric with higher rates from crop to wild forms than vice versa. Surprisingly, our data suggests that the two congeners have retained substantial genetic distinctness in the face of gene flow. Nevertheless, we found no significant differences in genetic diversity measures between them. Our study also did not find evidence of isolation by distance in cultivated or wild sorghum, which suggests that gene dispersal in the two conspecifics is not limited by geographic distance. Overall our study highlights likely escape and dispersal of transgenes within the sorghum crop–wild–weedy complex if genetically engineered varieties were to be introduced in Africa’s traditional farming system
E. Mutegi; F. Sagnard; M. Labuschagne; Liezel Herselman; Kassa Semagn; M. Deu; S. De Villiers; B. M. Kanyenji; C. N. Mwongera; P. C. S. Traore; D. Kiambi. Local scale patterns of gene flow and genetic diversity in a crop–wild–weedy complex of sorghum (Sorghum bicolor (L.) Moench) under traditional agricultural field conditions in Kenya. Conservation Genetics 2012, 13, 1059 -1071.
AMA StyleE. Mutegi, F. Sagnard, M. Labuschagne, Liezel Herselman, Kassa Semagn, M. Deu, S. De Villiers, B. M. Kanyenji, C. N. Mwongera, P. C. S. Traore, D. Kiambi. Local scale patterns of gene flow and genetic diversity in a crop–wild–weedy complex of sorghum (Sorghum bicolor (L.) Moench) under traditional agricultural field conditions in Kenya. Conservation Genetics. 2012; 13 (4):1059-1071.
Chicago/Turabian StyleE. Mutegi; F. Sagnard; M. Labuschagne; Liezel Herselman; Kassa Semagn; M. Deu; S. De Villiers; B. M. Kanyenji; C. N. Mwongera; P. C. S. Traore; D. Kiambi. 2012. "Local scale patterns of gene flow and genetic diversity in a crop–wild–weedy complex of sorghum (Sorghum bicolor (L.) Moench) under traditional agricultural field conditions in Kenya." Conservation Genetics 13, no. 4: 1059-1071.
The study quantified rainfall variability for March–May (MAM) and October–December (OND) seasons in Tharaka district, Kenya. The parameters analysed were inter-annual variability of seasonal rainfall, onset and cessation using daily rainfall data in three agro-ecological zones’ stations. Percentage mean cumulative method was used to determine onset and cessation, and seasonal variability was estimated using rainfall variability indices. Although both seasons are highly variable, OND has been persistently below mean over time while MAM shows high within-season variability. Despite the near uniformity in the mean onset and cessation dates, the former is highly variable on an inter-annual scale. The two rainfall seasons are inherently dissimilar and therefore require specific cropping in agro-ecological zone LM4 and LM4-5. It is possible that farmers in IL5 are missing an opportunity by under-utilising MAM rainfall. The results should be incorporated in implications of climate variability and vulnerability assessment in semi-arid Tharaka district.
Charles Recha; G. L. Makokha; Pierre C. Sibiry Traore; C. Shisanya; T. Lodoun; A. Sako. Determination of seasonal rainfall variability, onset and cessation in semi-arid Tharaka district, Kenya. Meteorology and Atmospheric Physics 2011, 108, 479 -494.
AMA StyleCharles Recha, G. L. Makokha, Pierre C. Sibiry Traore, C. Shisanya, T. Lodoun, A. Sako. Determination of seasonal rainfall variability, onset and cessation in semi-arid Tharaka district, Kenya. Meteorology and Atmospheric Physics. 2011; 108 (3-4):479-494.
Chicago/Turabian StyleCharles Recha; G. L. Makokha; Pierre C. Sibiry Traore; C. Shisanya; T. Lodoun; A. Sako. 2011. "Determination of seasonal rainfall variability, onset and cessation in semi-arid Tharaka district, Kenya." Meteorology and Atmospheric Physics 108, no. 3-4: 479-494.
Gene flow between domesticated plants and their wild relatives is one of the major evolutionary processes acting to shape their structure of genetic diversity. Earlier literature, in the 1970s, reported on the interfertility and the sympatry of wild, weedy and cultivated sorghum belonging to the species in most regions of sub-Saharan Africa. However, only a few recent surveys have addressed the geographical and ecological distribution of sorghum wild relatives and their genetic structure. These features are poorly documented, especially in western Africa, a centre of diversity for this crop. We report here on an exhaustive in situ collection of wild, weedy and cultivated sorghum assembled in Mali and in Guinea. The extent and pattern of genetic diversity were assessed with 15 SSRs within the cultivated pool (455 accessions), the wild pool (91 wild and weedy forms) and between them. and statistics, distance-based trees, Bayesian clustering methods, as well as isolation by distance models, were used to infer evolutionary relationships within the wild–weedy–crop complex. Firstly, our analyses highlighted a strong racial structure of genetic diversity within cultivated sorghum ( = 0.40). Secondly, clustering analyses highlighted the introgressed nature of most of the wild and weedy sorghum and grouped them into two eco-geographical groups. Such closeness between wild and crop sorghum could be the result of both sorghum’s domestication history and preferential post-domestication crop-to-wild gene flow enhanced by farmers’ practices. Finally, isolation by distance analyses showed strong spatial genetic structure within each pool, due to spatially limited dispersal, and suggested consequent gene flow between the wild and the crop pools, also supported by analyses. Our findings thus revealed important features for the collection, conservation and biosafety of domesticated and wild sorghum in their centre of diversity.
Fabrice Sagnard; Monique Deu; Dékoro Dembélé; Raphael Leblois; Lassana Toure; Mohamed Diakité; Caroline Calatayud; Michel Vaksmann; Sophie Bouchet; Yaya Mallé; Sabine Togola; Pierre C. Sibiry Traoré. Genetic diversity, structure, gene flow and evolutionary relationships within the Sorghum bicolor wild–weedy–crop complex in a western African region. Theoretical and Applied Genetics 2011, 123, 1231 -1246.
AMA StyleFabrice Sagnard, Monique Deu, Dékoro Dembélé, Raphael Leblois, Lassana Toure, Mohamed Diakité, Caroline Calatayud, Michel Vaksmann, Sophie Bouchet, Yaya Mallé, Sabine Togola, Pierre C. Sibiry Traoré. Genetic diversity, structure, gene flow and evolutionary relationships within the Sorghum bicolor wild–weedy–crop complex in a western African region. Theoretical and Applied Genetics. 2011; 123 (7):1231-1246.
Chicago/Turabian StyleFabrice Sagnard; Monique Deu; Dékoro Dembélé; Raphael Leblois; Lassana Toure; Mohamed Diakité; Caroline Calatayud; Michel Vaksmann; Sophie Bouchet; Yaya Mallé; Sabine Togola; Pierre C. Sibiry Traoré. 2011. "Genetic diversity, structure, gene flow and evolutionary relationships within the Sorghum bicolor wild–weedy–crop complex in a western African region." Theoretical and Applied Genetics 123, no. 7: 1231-1246.