Research, Policy and Practice
Table 2 Timeline of drought incidents in the study sites and the impact on livelihoods of the community
Site | Year | Feature | Severity | Impact on livelihood |
|---|---|---|---|---|
Fakara | 1954 | Very late onset of rainfall | Modest | Poor crop yield and food shortage |
1966 | Early cessation of rainfall | Severe | Loss of crops and famine | |
1973/1974 | Early onset of rainfall and sudden cessation while millets were flowering | Severe | Sales of livestock at a very low price to buy grains | |
1984 | Insufficient and early cessation of rainfall | Severe | Total loss of crops, food shortage, sales of livestock to buy grains, and migration | |
1997 to 1998 | Sudden cessation of rainfall when millets were flowering | Modest | Sales of livestock to buy grains and migration of young men to neighbouring countries | |
2005 | Insufficient rainfall leading to poor crop yield | Very severe | Sales of livestock at a very low price to buy grains, a bull was sold for as low as 2000 FCFA (about $ 4), massive exploitation of forest resources and massive migration | |
Gabi | 1953 | Insufficient rainfall | Modest | Poor crop yield |
1962 | Insufficient and sudden cessation of rainfall | Severe | Widespread famine in the region | |
1973 to 1974 | Insufficient rainfall | Modest | Migration to neighbouring countries | |
1984 | Insufficient rainfall and early cessation of rainfall | Very severe | Poor crop yield and death of many animals | |
1997 | Insufficient rainfall and early cessation of rainfall | Modest | Sales of livestock to buy grains | |
2005 | Insufficient rainfall and early cessation of rainfall | Very severe | Poor crop yield, malnutrition, and sales of livestock | |
Zermou | 1953 | Insufficient rainfall leading to poor crop yield | Very severe | Sales of livestock at a low price to buy grains |
1958 | Cessation of rainfall during the flowering of millet | Severe | Poor crop yield and sales of livestock to buy grains | |
1973 | Sudden cessation of rainfall and insufficient rainfall | Very severe | Sales of livestock to buy grains | |
1983 to 1984 | Cessation of rainfall during the flowering of millet | Very severe | Poor crop yield and sales of livestock to buy grains | |
1986 | Insufficient rainfall | Severe | Sales of livestock to buy grains | |
1997 | Insufficient rainfall | Severe | Sales of livestock to buy grains | |
1999 | Too much rain at the beginning of the season followed by cessation of rainfall while crops were growing | Severe | Loss of animals due to feed scarcity and sales of livestock and household properties to buy food | |
2005 | Sudden cessation of rainfall and insufficient rainfall | Severe | Sales of livestock to buy grains |