Farmers\u2019 perceptions of climate change and adaptation strategies on sorghum productivity in the Sudanian and Sahelian zones of Mali

In Mali, climate change is a major threat to the productivity of food security crops such as sorghum ( Sorghum bicolor (L.) Moench, 1794). The objective of this study was to analyse farmers\u2019 perceptions of climate change effects, on sorghum productivity and the adaptation related strategies. A total of 352 sorghum farmers in the Sudanian and Sahelian zones of Mali were interviewed, using a semi-structured questionnaire. Data collected were related mainly to the farmers\u2019 socio-economic profiles, indicators used to characterise climate change and strategies developed to cope with it. Irregular rainfall, marked rise in temperatures and early cessation of the rainy seasons were the main manifestations of climate change effects according to the respondents. These effects reportedly resulted in a drastic drop in sorghum yields. Use of meteorological information (19.89% of the respondents), use of early and drought-resistant varieties (13.35% of the respondents), and intercropping of sorghum with other crops (25.85% of the respondents) were the strategy options adapted by farmers. The choice of an adaptation strategies was largely dependent on the number of years of experience in sorghum production, and the number of labour providers available in the household. It is imperative to assess and refine the agronomic effectiveness of these coping strategies to improve sorghum productivity in the study areas.La pr\ue9sente \ue9tude vise \ue0 d\ue9terminer l\u2019effet des changements climatiques sur la productivit\ue9 du sorgho ( Sorghum bicolor (L.) Moench, 1794) et les strat\ue9gies d\u2019adaptations mises en \u153uvre par les agriculteurs au Mali.\ua0Ainsi, les enqu\ueates ont \ue9t\ue9 effectu\ue9es dans 32 villages dans les deux zones. 352 producteurs de sorgho \ue2g\ue9s de 25 \ue0 75 ans tant dans la zone soudanienne que dans la zone sah\ue9lienne ont \ue9t\ue9 s\ue9lectionn\ue9s et soumis \ue0 un questionnaire semi structur\ue9. Les producteurs observent de nos jours une irr\ue9gularit\ue9 des pluies, des temp\ue9ratures \ue9lev\ue9es, des vents violents, des arr\ueats pr\ue9coces de la saison pluvieuse et des poches de s\ue9cheresse au cours de la saison, et des inondations (85,70%) causant une baisse drastique des rendements des cultures du sorgho. Le suivi des informations m\ue9t\ue9orologiques (19,89%) dans les m\ue9diats, l\u2019utilisation des vari\ue9t\ue9s pr\ue9coces et r\ue9sistantes \ue0 la s\ue9cheresse (13,35%), la pratique des associations culturales (25,85%), la pratique des techniques de paillage (2,27%) avec les r\ue9sidus de r\ue9colte, l\u2019apport des engrais min\ue9raux et organiques (24,72%), la pratique du za\uef (3,41%), les pratiques occultes (3,98%) sont des strat\ue9gies d\u2019adaptation mises en \u153uvre. Le choix des pratiques d\u2019adaptation est significativement (P< 0,05 \ue0 P<0,001) d\ue9termin\ue9 par la situation matrimoniale de l\u2019individu, de son exp\ue9rience dans la production et des moyens financiers dont il dispose. L\u2019\ue9tude sugg\ue8re d\u2019\ue9valuer l\u2019efficacit\ue9 de ces strat\ue9gies d\u2019adaptation pour une meilleure productivit\ue9 du sorgho dans les deux zones d\u2019\ue9tude

Rhizobium inoculants suppress emergence of the weed Striga gesnerioides in cowpea

Open Access Article; Published online: 26 May 2021Cowpea is a grain legume of major importance in sub-Saharan Africa where it is cultivated by smallholder farmers on poor soils and production is often constrained by the parasitic weed Striga gesnerioides. Experiments were conducted to assess the potential of rhizobium inoculation in mitigating Striga infestation and increasing cowpea productivity. We tested under basal P application and artificial S. gesnerioides inoculation the impact of cowpea genotypes (G) (nine Striga-resistant and 11 Striga– susceptible genotypes) and bradyrhizobium inoculation (N) (two bradyrhizobium strains USDA3384 and IRJ2180A, and uninoculated control) on Striga dynamics and cowpea yield. Additional treatments included N supplied as urea (with and without), and no input (i.e., soil inherent N and P) that served as negative check. A first experiment was carried out in potted sterile soils in the screen house excluding addition of N-fertilizers. Significant G x N interactions were observed in counts of nodule (P = 0.012), Striga attachment (P < 0.0001) and emergence (P = 0.005), and cowpea shoot growth (P = 0.016). Cowpea nodulated poorly across host lines, Striga counts were the lowest for resistant varieties with no emerged plants. Rhizobial inoculants depressed Striga counts with consistent differences found across cowpea genotypes. Inoculation with IRJ2180A performed the best against Striga attachment in resistant genotypes, and its emergence in susceptible genotypes. In the field trial, nodule numbers were lowest in cowpea without inputs (P < 0.0001). The G x N interaction was significant in emerged Striga plants (P < 0.0001). Resistant genotypes were free of emerged Striga while for susceptible ones, Striga emergence was the highest without any input addition. Significant G x N interaction was observed in cowpea grain yield (P < 0.0001). Yield response to inoculation was most obvious for resistant genotypes inoculated with the strain IRJ2180A (P = 0.0043). The integrated use of Striga-resistant cowpea lines and elite bradyrhizobium inoculant under moderate application of P-based fertilizer could be a promising approach for mitigating Striga infestation and increasing productivity

Climate change adaptation in conflict-affected countries:A systematic assessment of evidence

People affected by conflict are particularly vulnerable to climate shocks and climate change, yet little is known about climate change adaptation in fragile contexts. While climate events are one of the many contributing drivers of conflict, feedback from conflict increases vulnerability, thereby creating conditions for a vicious cycle of conflict. In this study, we carry out a systematic review of peer-reviewed literature, taking from the Global Adaptation Mapping Initiative (GAMI) dataset to documenting climate change adaptation occurring in 15 conflict-affected countries and compare the findings with records of climate adaptation finance flows and climate-related disasters in each country. Academic literature is sparse for most conflict-affected countries, and available studies tend to have a narrow focus, particularly on agriculture-related adaptation in rural contexts and adaptation by low-income actors. In contrast, multilateral and bilateral funding for climate change adaptation addresses a greater diversity of adaptation needs, including water systems, humanitarian programming, and urban areas. Even among the conflict-affected countries selected, we find disparity, with several countries being the focus of substantial research and funding, and others seeing little to none. Results indicate that people in conflict-affected contexts are adapting to climate change, but there is a pressing need for diverse scholarship across various sectors that documents a broader range of adaptation types and their results

Cowries in the archaeology of West Africa: the present picture

Despite the perceived importance of cowrie shells as indicators of long-distance connections in the West African past, their distribution and consumption patterns in archaeological contexts remain surprisingly underexplored, a gap that is only partly explicable by the sparse distribution of archaeological sites within the sub-continent. General writings on the timeline of importation of cowries into West Africa often fail to take into account the latest archaeological evidence and rely instead on accounts drawn from historical or ethnographic documents. This paper is based on a first-hand assessment of over 4500 shells from 78 sites across West Africa, examining chronology, shell species and processes of modification to assess what distribution patterns can tell us about the history of importation and usage of cowries. These first-hand analyses are paralleled by a consideration of published materials. We re-examine the default assumption that two distinct routes of entry existed — one overland from North Africa before the fifteenth century, another coming into use from the time sea links were established with the East African coast and becoming predominant by the middle of the nineteenth century. We focus on the eastern part of West Africa, where the importance of imported cowries to local communities in relatively recent periods is well known and from where we have a good archaeological sample. The conclusion is that on suitably large assemblages shell size can be an indication of provenance and that, while the present archaeological picture seems largely to confirm historical sources, much of this may be due to the discrepancy in archaeological data available from the Sahara/Sahel zone compared to the more forested regions of the sub-continent. Future archaeological work will clarify this matter

The NORMAN Association and the European Partnership for Chemicals Risk Assessment (PARC): let’s cooperate! [Commentary]

The Partnership for Chemicals Risk Assessment (PARC) is currently under development as a joint research and innovation programme to strengthen the scientific basis for chemical risk assessment in the EU. The plan is to bring chemical risk assessors and managers together with scientists to accelerate method development and the production of necessary data and knowledge, and to facilitate the transition to next-generation evidence-based risk assessment, a non-toxic environment and the European Green Deal. The NORMAN Network is an independent, well-established and competent network of more than 80 organisations in the field of emerging substances and has enormous potential to contribute to the implementation of the PARC partnership. NORMAN stands ready to provide expert advice to PARC, drawing on its long experience in the development, harmonisation and testing of advanced tools in relation to chemicals of emerging concern and in support of a European Early Warning System to unravel the risks of contaminants of emerging concern (CECs) and close the gap between research and innovation and regulatory processes. In this commentary we highlight the tools developed by NORMAN that we consider most relevant to supporting the PARC initiative: (i) joint data space and cutting-edge research tools for risk assessment of contaminants of emerging concern; (ii) collaborative European framework to improve data quality and comparability; (iii) advanced data analysis tools for a European early warning system and (iv) support to national and European chemical risk assessment thanks to harnessing, combining and sharing evidence and expertise on CECs. By combining the extensive knowledge and experience of the NORMAN network with the financial and policy-related strengths of the PARC initiative, a large step towards the goal of a non-toxic environment can be taken

Over-the-Counter Monocyclic Non-Steroidal Anti-Inflammatory Drugs in Environment—Sources, Risks, Biodegradation

Recently, the increased use of monocyclic non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs has resulted in their presence in the environment. This may have potential negative effects on living organisms. The biotransformation mechanisms of monocyclic nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs in the human body and in other mammals occur by hydroxylation and conjugation with glycine or glucuronic acid. Biotransformation/biodegradation of monocyclic non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs in the environment may be caused by fungal or bacterial microorganisms. Salicylic acid derivatives are degraded by catechol or gentisate as intermediates which are cleaved by dioxygenases. The key intermediate of the paracetamol degradation pathways is hydroquinone. Sometimes, after hydrolysis of this drug, 4- aminophenol is formed, which is a dead-end metabolite. Ibuprofen is metabolized by hydroxylation or activation with CoA, resulting in the formation of isobutylocatechol. The aim of this work is to attempt to summarize the knowledge about environmental risk connected with the presence of over-the-counter antiinflammatory drugs, their sources and the biotransformation and/or biodegradation pathways of these drugs

Resistance of Upland NERICAs and Parents to Rice Weevil and Angoumois Grain Moth

Twenty one rice varieties including 18 upland NERICAs and their parents (two Oryza sativa and one O. glaberrima) were screened for resistance to two primary storage pests: Sitophilus oryzae and Sitotroga cerealella, using the “no choice” infestation method. Resistance of rice varieties was assessed based on the adult’s population obtained from first generation of each species and also on the weight loss recorded on infested samples. Results revealed that adult progenies from S. oryzae and weight loss were very low on paddy and fairly high on husked rice. Results also suggested that glumes are one main parameter conferring the resistance to S. oryzae. Differential responses of rice varieties to S. cerealella were observed. Of the 18 NERICA tested, NERICA6, 14, 4, 3, 15 and 16 were tolerant in increasing order, whereas only NERICA9 and 11 were susceptible. The Oryza glaberrima parent CG 14 was resistant to the insect while the O. sativa parents WAB 56-50 and WAB 56-104 were susceptible. Progenies resistance to the insect may have been provided by the parent CG 14. The implications of the findings and the way forward were discussed