Mame Diaite-Koumba Soil 5112 Spring 2015 DROUGHT AND POOR SOIL FERTILITY IN SUB- SAHARAN AFRICA: THE CASE OF SENEGAL

SOME OF THE CONSEQUENCES Declining soil fertility Decline of production Food prices increase Risk of food insecurity

STUNTED CROPS DUE TO LACK OF RAINFALL

CONSERVATION FARMING TECHNIQUES Farmers till and plant only a portion of their land each season, growing crops in small, evenly-spaced basins rather than plowing entire fields most of the land remain undisturbed, but this technique reduces soil erosion and run-off during rainfall Despite serious drought conditions during last year’s agricultural season, Senegalese cultivators who used conservation farming techniques increased their yields In the 2011 season, conservation farming helped millet and maize yields increase between 49 percent and 71 percent Source: usaid.gov

CONSERVATION FARMING TECHNIQUE (RIGHT) V.S TRADITIONAL METHODS

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CONCLUSION The objective is to find a sustainable way to allow small farmers in Senegal to increase their yield The conservative farming techniques have proven its effectiveness in Senegal. When tested on millet and maize, it increased the yield from 49% to 71%. Our goal would be to make the proper modifications to increase the yield even more

SOURCES drought-senegal drought-senegal farmers-in-senegal farmers-in-senegal