Definition
The Sahel region is found in sub-Saharan
Africa, and constitutes a semiarid strip of land famously
known as The Sahel. Sahel is an Arabic word, which means,
"shore". The Sahel is a transition zone between
the arid north and the tropical green forest that borders
the maritime coast, covering a surface area of 5.4 million
Km2 with a population of about 50,000,000 inhabitants.
The vegetation In the Sahel region is composed of mainly
stunted and scattered trees, shrubs, bushes and grasses.
The vegetative cover becomes denser as one moves southwards
towards the tropical rainforests. Rearing of livestock
is an important aspect of life in the region besides
subsistence cultivation. However, due to long persistent
periods of drought, herdsmen are always compelled to
move southwards in search of pastures. The countries
of the Sahel today include Senegal, Mauritania, Mali,
Burkina Faso, Niger, Nigeria, Chad, Sudan, Somalia,
Ethiopia and Eritrea.
Map of the Sahel
Agriculture in the Sahel
Farming in this region is almost entirely reliant on
three months of summer rainfall, except along the banks
of the major rivers, lakes, and other seasonal watercourses.
Farming is the main source of income to many people
of the Sahel region with millet and sorghum as the major
food crops. Most low and middle-income households in
this area are engaged in subsistence farming on self-sufficient
farms.
Crops of the Sahel
A wide range of crops are grown in
the semi arid areas including finger millet, pearl millet,
bull rush millet, sorghum, cowpeas, pigeon peas, groundnut,
green grams, phaesolus beans and chickpeas. One crop
that is unique to the Sahel region of Africa is the
Baobab. The imposing baobab tree, also known as the
monkey-bread tree, is one of the most distinctive features
of the semiarid landscape of Africa. It usually grows
wild, up to 40 meters high and is important to the livelihood
of the people of the Sahel. The baobab tree provides
nutritious foods, shelter, clothing, medicine and material
for hunting and fishing.
Millet and sorghum are the vital food crops of the Sahel
region. Syngenta Foundation for Sustainable Agriculture
focused its efforts on the Cinzana Agricultural Research
Station, which is dedicated to producing sustainable
increases in crop production and productivity through
improved seed breeding.
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UNDERSTANDING MILLET
Millets refers
to a group of annual grasses mainly found in the arid
and semiarid regions of the world.
SAHEL STORIES
The
stories of the Sahel, told by those who have long lived
in the region, and who relate a lifetime of changes.
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