The agropastoral farming system: Achieving adaptation and harnessing opportunities under duress

Abstract

The agropastoral farming system in Africa is defined by a length of growing period (LGP) between 75 and 165 days, semi-arid conditions and the combination of crop and pastoral livestock production. It includes four geographically defined regions or subsystems. Vulnerability to a variety of risks linked to highly seasonal climate, poor soils, pests, price volatility and conflict is widespread and involves adaptations in farming and livelihood activities. The maintenance of scattered, intercropped multipurpose woody perennials contributes to diversified production, expanded nutrient cycles and more resilient livelihoods. Challenges for the farming system include high population growth rates, land use saturation, decline of fallowing practices, large youth employment gaps, climate change, as well as land and resource access and tenure constraints especially for women. Sorghum and millet as well as cowpea and groundnut are key but underdeveloped crops grown with few inputs and with low marketable surpluses. In contrast to cash crops, intensification of these food crops has been limited. Low adoption of new technology is mostly related to their low profitability and perceived risks rather than available capital. Therefore, most significant and sustainable forms of improvements in the agropastoral system will come from system-oriented interventions that complement technological intensification (croplivestock associations, soil and water conservation techniques, agroforestry, improved seeds, targeted fertilization, etc.), with stronger producer organizations, interventions for improved marketing and new commercial outlets for sorghum and millet. The latter should be supported through public-private partnerships (producer groups, finance, agriprocessors) to promote value chains and a conducive policy environment