Landscape Restoration through Agroforestry: Options for Reconciling Livelihoods with Conservation in the Sahel of Mali

Abstract

Land provides the basis for human livelihoods through primary production, food and freshwater supply, and multiple other ecosystem services (ES). The last three decades have recorded frequent drought events as well as rapid population growth, which has often resulted in adverse Land Use Cover Changes (LULCC) in the Sahel of Sub-Sahara Africa, particularly in Mali. With regards to the above challenges, the study evaluated the dynamic of LULCC and its driving factor. using mixed method of remote sensing, GIS supported by FGD with local people. Moreover, people’s contextual livelihoods need species prioritization, experimentation, and perception on the potential ecosystem services from restoration interventions was conducting through workshops, direct field observation and FGD. As results, it was found that the study area faced a rapid decrease in wooded savannah ecosystem and was converted into shrub savannah, farmland, and settlement. Bivariate correlation shows that within the time frame (1990 to 2020), the increase in farmland significantly correlates with population growth (p-value = 0.04), whereas the decrease in wooded savannah correlates with the increase in settlements (p-value = 0.005) and the increase in grassland (p-value = 0.03). Moreover, a conversion of shrub savannah into grassland has also been recorded (p-value = 0.05). These changes were directly or indirectly related to the pressure of rapid population growth, high cotton price which encouraged cropland expansion and recurrent drought. Firewood extraction, and charcoal production were also recorded but exacerbated by the poverty. For addressing LULCC, people’s preferred and are motivated when all fruits, fodder tree and grasses species are promoted under business-based platform, specific varieties of fruits species under Agri silviculture systems and fodder trees, shrubs, and grass under silvopastoral systems. This incentive is attributed, not only to the species socio-ecological value but also to their suitability to the soil type, climate, agroforestry system and proper management practices. Moreover, people preferred fodder specific grass, shrubs, and tree species under silvopastoral systems at an appreciation score of ≥ 80% while fruits trees species are mainly appreciated under Agri silvicultural systems ≥ 60% and business-based platform recorded ≥ 70% a score for all the species. In term of germination, it was found that fodder grass species geminate faster when planted under half-moon management practice under sandy soil than open tilled land (3 to 7 days in soil specific in dry spell condition). Grasses and leguminous fodder recorded high survival rate when planted under clay soil followed by clay and sandy mixed soil (70 to 90 %) while low survival was noticed under sandy and lateritic soil. All the Fodder trees and shrubs recorded significant survival rate (≥ 80 %) under Business based platform system and Agri silvicultural system while fruits trees recorded (≥ 69 %). Restored lands under above conditions provide significant ecosystems from both men and women perception but more services are perceived by men than women and much attention has not been paid on water supply facilities when restoring degraded land with agroforestry systems. With regards to these finding, land restoration intervention needs to considered gender balance centered approach for sustainable ES profits sharing. To address these issues, this study recommended the promotion of Integrated Land Use system (ILUS) strategies that consider current and future livelihood needs and preserve the environment for the benefits of future generations. The adopting of ILUS should considered people’s livelihoods need based species or varieties preferences, soil nature, management practices under a specific climatic condition. National ILIUS policies strategies need to be developed and applied considering contextual land use dynamics, driving factors, adapted agroforestry systems under proper management practices with introduction of suitable livelihoods specific species to be introduced.