Forget the green revolution, Chad’s farmers will need help to just grow enough to eat, let alone supply the market
Chad has the dubious distinction of being placed second on the list of worst economies in the world (above Guinea). The list by the World Economic Forum ranks nations by assessing their strengths and weaknesses in institutions, infrastructure, health and education, and markets.
The countries near or at the bottom of this list share problems such as hunger, poverty and harsh environmental and climatic conditions. Most people in these countries rely on subsistence farming for their livelihood. Yet to a large extent, current funding in agricultural development does not meet the needs of these countries because priority is given to places that can scale up modern farming practices.
The challenge for multilateral agencies and NGOs is how to feed 9 billion people by 2050 but the poorest countries in the world seem to be considered only as part of the problem and not part of the solution. They have increasing populations, no extra arable land to expand production, and inadequate infrastructure to intensify production through technologies that have been credited with starting the green revolution.
But marginalising these countries and withholding programmes to help subsistence farmers is a grave mistake, and Chad is a good example. Most of the arable land in Chad is in the southern region, furthest from the Sahara, and is characterised by poor soils, a long dry season with daily temperatures over 40C and a short rainy season. Farmers rely on peanuts, sorghum, sesame, millet and cassava for the bulk of their calories. These crops are grown within a slash-and-burn system with crop rotations of three or four years and then the land is allowed to regenerate native bush species.
Traditionally, these fallow periods of woody plant growth was around 15 years. Today they average between three to five years. This change is due to population growth, and subsequently smaller parcels of land per family, and deforestation due to increased demand for fuel wood and charcoal. Farm families eat a diet high in carbohydrates, low in protein, and low in vitamins and minerals. Acute seasonal hunger and chronic malnutrition are common.
The pressure to increase production on dwindling land requires more intensive farming, but farmers cannot access fertilisers, irrigation and other technologies. What they can do is improve soils and conserve water through basic soil building methods (traditional to some cultures but not traditional to Chad) such as composting, intensive manure use, mulching, companion planting and green manure crops. These low-tech methods are also compatible with several innovative practices showing promise in other sub-Saharan countries. Agroforestry strategies such as farmer managed natural regeneration and fertiliser tree systems have been successfully promoted in Mali, Niger and Burkina Faso.
Subsistence livestock management in Chad needs also to be more intensive and productive. Livestock mostly range freely. Goats, chickens, guinea hens, and cows wander to find what they can. This strategy uses no fences, barns, feeding, water provision, and usually no veterinary services.
The result is malnourished livestock that produce little milk, eggs or meat. Using pens or fencing would require much more labour to supply forage and water to the livestock, but this labour investment would be repaid with greater production within one season. It would also accumulate manure to build soils.
The few agricultural development projects that exist in Chad, either through the government or NGOs, are small with limited outreach. Most outside aid is focused on feeding programmes, refugee relief and public health campaigns but hunger and other health problems are only exacerbated by low farm production in Chad and neighbouring countries.
Focusing greater resources on subsistence farmers would bring multiple benefits. Agricultural programmes should realise that millions of farmers face the choice between subsistence and hunger, not the choice between subsistence farming and market farming. Chad’s extension services, whether governmental or NGO, are very limited. One promising government project is a radio programme on agricultural topics, which includes expert commentary and listener questions via SMS. This project could be expanded to reach more districts and in more local languages. Face-to-face education is also needed. A cost-effective programme could be based on the “barefoot doctor” approach, which trains indigenous extension staff to work in their home region on a very personal level with little institutional infrastructure.
Soil and water conservation methods, farmer field schools and village support groups could be promoted through such local staff. The reality is that to feed 9 billion people millions will have to feed themselves, in their own villages, with very low-tech methods. Markets only help people with money and infrastructure. The analysis by the World Economic Forum, whether intended or not, shows that many countries need help that is simple, direct, cheap and decidedly not market-oriented.
Gene Fifer is an agronomist with the Mennonite Central Committee in Moundou, Chad. Follow @mccorg on Twitter