ASSESSMENT OF DROUGHT IMPACTS ON LIVESTOCK PRODUCTION AND ADAPTATION MEASURES AT AGROPASTORAL COMMUNITIES LEVEL IN THE DISTRICT OF BOUGOUNI IN MALI

Abstract

In the District of Bougouni, agropastoral communities are vulnerable to climate risk-related hazards but have also set response strategies. The main objective of this study is to assess drought impacts on livestock production and agropastoral communities’ precaution against future drought. Climate data namely rainfall amount, temperature and wind speed spanning 1950-2022 and socioeconomic data have been collected. Socioeconomic data were collected from 404 agro-pastoralists surveyed individually by using semi-structured method and 8 focus discussions implemented with long experimented agro-pastoralists in four communes. The analysis was based on SPI analysis and dry spell length for climatic data, and descriptive statistics for socioeconomic data. The results have shown that the Standardized Precipitation Index illustrated a severe drought for the years 2002 and 1973; moderate drought for 1968, 1984, 1987, 2006; mild Drought for 1985 and 1993. According to the pastoralist, these droughts led to a significant depletion of the pastoral resources notably low density of pastures (24%), disappearance of appetizing species and proliferation low quality of species nutritive value (12%), reducing species life cycle and degradation of species seeds (11%), early dry of watering points (25%), low access of watering points (21%), low reconstitution of backwater (19%) and conflicts frequency around wells (18%). Among the adaptation measures adopted by the pastoralists are the collection and storage of crop residues in a shed (14%); practice of adapted forage crop cultivation and big transhumance practice (11%); purchase of supplementary feed (cereal bran, cotton meal..) and Bushfire control policy (10%); creation of water reservoirs and development of watering points (9%). Drought impacts are negatively affecting livestock production in the south west of Mali.