Community Production Practices and Desertification in the Sahelo-Sudanian Region of Cameroon at the Turn of the Millennium |
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Authors: | Etienne Tedonkeng Pamo |
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Institution: | (1) Department of Animal Science, FASA, University of Dschang, Dschang, Cameroon |
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Abstract: | The Sahelo-Sudanian region of Cameroon extends over 10 million hectares. Varied flora and soil types, a complex mosaic of
vegetation and plant communities and a diversified wild animal population are the major natural resources of this region.
Desertification in the region can be related to two major known causes: a. short or long-term drought due to short-term or
long-term climatic trends toward aridity; b. human activities which degrade the biological environment. Globally, humans generally
have less effect on desertification than climatic change in the short run. The only strategy to fight against this situation
particularly in the developing countries is to withdraw populations from the areas and to settle them elsewhere. However,
most local or regional desertification processes in general, and in the Sahelo-Sudanian region in particular, are due to the
misuse or unsound exploitation of natural resources by humans and their animals. Often, comprehension of the complexity of
even small interactions between parameters affecting our local environment remains limited. Poor economic assessments of the
long-term benefits of proper natural resource conservation and management increase the extent of the exploitation, in turn
increasing the degradation process. Yet ecologically sound management of natural resources integrating indigenous knowledge
and basic population interest and concern can secure restoration in several areas and sustained productivity of Sahelo-Sudanian
lands. |
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Keywords: | Cameroon communal resources ownership desertification economic aspects farming practices local population overgrazing private resources ownership Sahelo-Sudanian region |
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