Degradation of the Environment under Draught Farming in the Savana Region of Togo

摘要

Most African countries struggling for better economic development (regarding increased foodrnproduction, industrialisation, etc.) have focused their agricultural politics on mechanization such asrnanimal traction and motorization. But even if these means could help produce food in sufficientrnquantities for an ever increasing population, as a precaution, in delicate tropical zones, we have tornworry about the physical, chemical and biological harmful effects which can be brought byrnintensive agriculture. In developed countries, experts, researchers and farmers are alreadyrnimproving their farming systems for sustainable agriculture in order to face the problems of soilrnand environment degradation.rnRegarding Togo, since 1986 PNUD/FAO and the Soil Conservation and ImprovementrnInstitute ? have initiated a project (TOG/83/009 than TOG/89/001) to raise the awareness ofrnfarmers about the problem of soil erosion. Besides this, Brabant and al. Have made a plan ofrndegradation map for Togo – a countrywide inventory of human-induced land degradation. Wernhave done a survey in 54 farms in the Savana region of Togo, a semi-arid zone with an annualrnrainfall between 900 and 1100 mm and where are 87% of the country's draught animals. Thisrnstudy has brought to the fore that non mastery in the selection of farm tools and farmingrntechnology such as tillage, bush burning, trees cutting, lack of fertilizer, etc lead to erosion, ploughrnpan, low yield, deforestation. Some appropriate solutions for the serious problem of landrndegradation in the area are suggested:rnInformation extension and training farmers must be provided on soil and water conservationrntechnics or methods;rnMake water ways to reduce erosion in the farms;rnCombining agroforestery and draught farming will provide wood, biomass for soils and morernfodder for animals; this will reduce the use of crop residue;rnProduce organic fertilizer in sufficient quantity added to few quantity of mineral fertilizer inrnorder to regenerate poor soils;rnPloughing at the same depth over several successive agricultural seasons is to be avoided;rnSubsoiling should be done with a tractor at least at 25 cm to decrease the plough pan;rnIntroduction of Dolichos lablab, a plant that can be used for soil protection as well as food andrnfodder;rnUse the coulter in draught farming to facilitate infiltration of the crucial first rain in order tornplough and sow precociously; this prevents from bad effects of lateness of rain on plants.