Open AccessCharacterizing and modeling the diversity of cropping situations under climatic constraints in West Africa
Author(s) -
Traoré Seydou B.,
Alhassane Agali,
Muller Bertrand,
Kouressy Mamoutou,
Somé Léopold,
Sultan Benjamin,
Oettli Pascal,
Siéné Laopé Ambroise C.,
Sangaré Safiatou,
Vaksmann Michel,
Diop Mbaye,
Dingkhun Michael,
Baron Christian
Publication year - 2010
Publication title -
atmospheric science letters
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 0.951
H-Index - 45
ISSN - 1530-261X
DOI - 10.1002/asl.295
Subject(s) - cropping , agriculture , sorghum , vulnerability (computing) , sowing , geography , warning system , climate change , fertilizer , environmental science , environmental resource management , agronomy , forestry , computer science , ecology , telecommunications , computer security , archaeology , biology
The Sahel region is known for the high vulnerability of its agriculture to climate variability. Early warning systems that make use of agrometerological forecasts are one of the coping strategies developed by policy makers. However, the predictive quality of the tools and methods used needs improvement. In order to address some of these challenges, we conducted agronomic trials and on‐farm surveys to adapt the SARRAH (Système d'Analyse Régionale des Risques Agroclimatiques, version H) crop simulation model, and also evaluated it in farmers' field conditions. The farmers' practices such as sowing dates and densities, fertilizer use and yields potentials of the millet and sorghum crops were characterized under different climatic conditions. Copyright © 2010 Royal Meteorological Society