African Journal of Afrofuturism and Speculative Fiction | 14 February 2001
Empowering Farmers through Agroforestry: An Assessment of Community-Based Programmes in Central Mali's Desertification Battle
T, o, u, m, a, n, i, D, i, c, k, o, ,, M, a, m, o, u, d, o, u, C, i, s, s, o, k, o, ,, S, é, n, i, D, i, a, l, l, o
Abstract
Desertification in Central Mali poses significant challenges to agricultural productivity and rural livelihoods. Efforts to combat desertification through community-based agroforestry programmes have been implemented, aiming at sustainable land management. Quantitative surveys were conducted with a sample size of 150 farmers, utilising a mixed-method approach combining qualitative interviews and quantitative data analysis to assess the outcomes of agroforestry interventions. A preliminary analysis indicated that among participants who adopted agroforestry practices, there was an average increase in crop yields by 24% compared to non-participants. Soil health parameters showed a significant improvement with a median soil organic matter content rise from 1.5% to 2.0%. The results suggest that agroforestry programmes have contributed positively to both farmer empowerment and desertification mitigation in Central Mali. Programmes should be expanded to cover more communities, with a focus on training farmers in advanced agroforestry techniques to enhance long-term sustainability. Policy support is also recommended for increased funding and capacity-building efforts. Model estimation used $\hat{\theta}=argmin<em>{\theta}\sum</em>i\ell(y<em>i,f</em>\theta(x<em>i))+\lambda\lVert\theta\rVert</em>2^2$, with performance evaluated using out-of-sample error.