Agricultural Perspectives in the Tsetse Infested Areas in Africa

Understanding the nature and dimension of the food problem and the policies available to alleviate it has been the focal point of the Food and Agriculture Programme (FAP) at the International Institute for Applied Systems Analysis (IIASA) since the program began in 1977. Large areas of Africa are infested by tsetse flies which preclude certain types of agricultural development. Should one consider an international effort to eradicate or contain tsetse flies? The problem is complex, as the entire ecology of that vast area may be affected by it. Though one must evaluate these ecological consequences in such decisions, an understanding of the agricultural production potential of the tsetse infested areas is an important element in analyzing such policy questions. The authors have provided agricultural perspectives for the tsetse infested areas in Africa. We are grateful to the Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations for partially supporting this study