The low uptake of adaptation practices may hamper farmer households from achieving sustainable resilience to climate variability. The majority of the population in SSE resides in the rural areas and derive their livelihoods directly from the agricultural sector. Climate change/climate variability remains a major development challenge in developing countries, particularly in the Sub-Saharan Economies (SSE). Sustained livelihood improvements in many of the rural communities require implementation of interventions that promote adaptation to impacts of climate variability

1. Adoption of soil and water conservation practices
under different farming systems in the Sahel region of
northern Mali
Birhanu Zemadim
&
Gracious Diiro, Monica Petri, and Ramadjita Tabo

2. Background
Climate change/climate variability remains a major development challenge
in developing countries, particularly in the Sub-Saharan Economies (SSE)
The majority of the population in SSE resides in the rural areas and derive
their livelihoods directly from the agricultural sector.
Sustained livelihood improvements in many of the rural communities
require implementation of interventions that promote adaptation to
impacts of climate variability
Strategies for effective climate variability adaptation and mitigation need to
be gender inclusive, targeting both male and female farmers.

3. Cntd…Background
A study was conducted in three farming systems and considering gender of the
head of the household with the objective of:
• Studying perceptions of causes and effects of climate variability
• Evaluating adoption of Soil and Water Conservation (SWC) practices, and
identification of barriers to adoption
Formulation of robust policy interventions and programs aimed at promoting
adaptation strategies for the agricultural sector require:
• A better understanding of how farmers perceive climate change/variability
• The adaptation measures used by farmers and
• The perceived effects of climate variability and the barriers to its adaptation.
Bryan et al., (2009)

4. Methodology
Three farming systems were considered in
the Sahelian region of northern Mali
• Rice farming system, Cereals (sorghum and
Millet) farming system and Mixed farming
system.
Data was collected from 297 farmer
households (average number of HH is 13),
16 NGOs and 11 focus group discussions
(FGDs) in eleven villages in Mopti region.

5. Results and Discussion
Perception of Climate Variability by Farming System
Climate Event
All
household
s (n=281)
Rice system
(n=58)
Dry cereals
system
(n=140)
Mixed
system
(n=83)
Freq. %
Fre
q.
%
Freq
.
%
Freq
.
%
Stronger and violent wind 234 83.3 44 75.9 121 86.4 69 83.1
Increased temperature 210 74.7 39 67.2 106 75.7 65 78.3
Poor rainfall pattern 159 56.6 23 39.7 92 65.7 44 53.0
Reduced vegetation cover 148 52.7 22 37.9 89 63.6 37 44.6
• Majority of farmers perceive variabilities in climate in the past 10 to 20 years
• Stronger and violent wind is the most reported climate event
Awareness, Knowledge and Practices

6. Cntd..Results and Discussion
Perception of Climate Variability by Farming System and Gender
Climate Event
Rice faming system
(n=58)
Dry cereals
system (n=140)
Mixed system
(n=83)
Female
headed
Male
headed Female headed
Male
headed
Female
headed
Male
headed
n % n % n % n % n % n %
Stronger and violent
wind
6 54.5
3
8
80.9
1
1
73.3 110 88 8 72.7
6
1
84.7
Increased
temperature
7 63.6
3
2
68.1 9 60.0 97
77.
6
5 45.5
6
0
83.3
Poor rainfall pattern
5 45.5
1
8
38.3 7 46.7 85 68 7 63.6
3
7
51.4
Reduced vegetation
cover
5 45.5
1
7
36.2 8 53.3 81
64.
8
8 72.7
2
9
40.3
No significant differences in perceptions of climate variabilities between male
and female headed households in the three farming systems

7. Cntd..Results and Discussion Perceived causes of climate variability
There is lack of clear understanding of the causes of climate variability
0
10
20
30
40
50
60
70
All households Male headed Female headed
PercentofFarmers
Other Factors Wrath of gods Inadequate rains

8. Impacts of climate variability
Majority of the farmers (96%)
indicated that climate
variability affected their
farming activities
• The number is always
higher for female headed
farmers
0.91
0.92
0.93
0.94
0.95
0.96
0.97
0.98
0.99
1.00
All households Rice farming system Dry cereals system Mixed farming system
ProportionofFarmers
Farming System
All households Male headed female headed
Reported Impacts
• Increased poverty and reduced purchasing power of households
• Increased food insecurity and malnutrition
• Loss of livestock and low agricultural productivity
• Increased pest infestations and other weather related pathogens

9. Degree of Household Vulnerability to Climate Variability
Weather
Shock Index
All
households
Farming system
Rice
system
Dry
system
Mixed
system
F-Statistic P-value
Rainfall pattern
0.73
(0.24)
0.73a
(0.20)
0.70a
(0.27)
0.77a
(0.19) 1.77 0.17
Drought
0.72
(0.30)
0.77a
(0.22)
0.68a
(0.30)
0.74a
(0.33) 1.68 0.19
Violent wind
0.64
(0.26)
0.57a
(0.19)
0.64ab
(0.30)
0.69b
(0.21)
3.70 0.03
Flood
0.53
(0.34)
0.56ab
(0.23)
0.46a
(0.36)
0.61b
(0.36)
4.34 0.01
Other Shocks
0.17
(0.30)
0.40a
(0.35)
0.06b
(0.20)
0.22c
(0.33)
16.31 0.00
All shocks combined
0.49
(0.14)
0.48a
(0.11)
0.46a
(0.14)
0.56b
(0.15)
15.64 0.00
• Significant difference with respect
to the various weather shock.
indexes, except rain and drought.
• Significantly higher shock in the
mixed farming system (0.56).
• Households residing in the mixed
farming system are, on average,
more vulnerable to impacts of
climate variability
Higher weather shock among female headed households than male headed households in the rice system

10. Climate Variability Adaptation Methods by Sahelian Farmers
Farm based methods
• Soil and water conservation
• Fertilizer application
• Crop diversification
• Livestock diversification and
• Tree planting
Non-farm based methods
• Utilization of weather forecasts
• Information and participation in
non-farm income generating
activities

11. • Zai was the most common SWC measure
used by the households (42%). The likelihood
of adoption of any of the other SWC
measures is less than 25%.
• Significant variation was observed in
adoption of most of the SWC measures;
except for vegetative barriers, contour
bunding and wells.
• More adopters of the SWC measures were
observed in the mixed farming system
SWC measure
(1=used, 0=No)
All Rice Cereal Mixed
F-value
P-
value
Zai
0.42
(0.49)
0.24a
(0.43)
0.34a
(0.48)
0.69b
(0.47)
19.88 0.0000
Artificial ponds
0.23
(0.42)
0.22ab
(0.42)
0.16a
(0.37)
0.35b
(0.48)
5.64 0.0040
Vegetative
barriers
0.23
(0.42)
0.22a
(0.42)
0.20 a
(0.40)
0.30a
(0.46)
1.51 0.2231
Contour bunding
0.23
(0.42)
0.22a
(0.42)
0.19a
(0.40)
0.30a
(0.46)
1.73 0.1786
Shallow Wells
0.23
(0.42)
0.22a
(0.42)
0.19a
(0.39)
0.30a
(0.46)
1.99 0.1393
Stone bunding
0.21
(0.41)
0.24a
(0.43)
0.14 a
(0.34)
0.33b
(0.47)
5.93 0.0030
Dams and dykes
0.20
(0.40)
0.24a
(0.43)
0.13 a
(0.34)
0.30b
(0.46)
5.28 0.0056
Ravine creusée
0.20
(0.40)
0.22a
(0.42)
0.14a
(0.34)
0.29b
(0.46)
4.06 0.0183
Adoption of soil and water conservation practices

12. • Fertilizer management practice: Another important measure utilized
by farmers to combat the impact of climate variability
Cntd..Adoption of soil and water conservation practices
Fertilizer Type
All
households
Rice
system
Dry
system
Mixed
system
F-value P-value
Organic manure
0.495
(0.501)
0.310 a
(0.467)
0.443a
(0.499)
0.711c
(0.456)
13.52 0.0000
Mineral fertilizer
0.665
(0.473)
0.431a
(0.500)
0.721b
(0.450)
0.735b
(0.444)
9.56 0.0001
Organic manure &
Mineral fertilizer
0.391
(0.489)
0.172a
(0.381)
0.379b
(0.487)
0.566c
(0.499)
12.06 0.0001
• Significant variations in fertilizer adoption across the farming systems
• Higher adoption rates observed in the mixed farming system
• Barrier: Lack of finances (cited by 29.5%) and limited labor (28%)

13. Conclusion
• Limited awareness on the causes of climate change/variability
• Farmers require proper knowledge and understanding of the real causes before they
may decide to adapt to climate change.
• Need to design communication strategies that create public awareness
• SWC measures are the most critical entry points for improving land resource
resilience and productivity.
• The measures are labor intensive and require capital investment.
• People in the region, especially youth, migrate to urban areas and gold mines thus
reducing labor supply to the agricultural sector.
• The low uptake of adaptation practices may hamper farmer households from
achieving sustainable resilience to climate variability.

14. • Agro-forestry options and residue management to reduce soil erosion
due to stronger and violent wind.
• Low cost solar pumped water lifting structure to improve water
access, production of high valued crops and improve the nutritional
status of the household.
• Combination of different technologies, i.e. promotion of heat tolerant
cultivars, improved livestock breeds adapted to the local condition,
and agro-advisory services through weather forecasting
Recommendation