Annual Report: CIRAD 2007

Can the agroforests of Forest Guinea be exploited sustainably?

Forest Guinea is a landlocked region that is home to the last remaining natural forests in West Africa. It is also highly suitable for agriculture: annual and perennial crops are intercropped in various types of system, based on the complex exploitation of the available resources. However, these systems are built on fragile biological and economic balances that current socioeconomic changes are likely to upset. CIRAD is working with the Institut de recherche agronomique de Guinée (IRAG) on the dynamics of such farming systems, their performance and how they can be made sustainable.

Building sustainable production systems in partnership in Brazil

In the Brazilian Cerrados, family farms are in the majority. The ones that have benefited from the agrarian reform are now in a precarious position, which is affecting their viability. Under a project being conducted jointly with EMBRAPA and the University of Brasilia, CIRAD is developing innovative cropping systems based on the use of direct seeding and of cover crops, and assessing how to build such innovations in effective partnership with local stakeholders.

Mafate, modelling and analysing matter flows on a territory scale

CIRAD’s work on animal farm effluent management in Réunion has led it to develop a generic approach for modelling and analysing matter flows on a territory scale. The approach sheds light on farmers’ practices and helps them draw up strategies for managing such flows.

Water governance on a catchment area scale in South Africa

In South Africa, the National Water Act has introduced new decentralized organizations to manage the country’s scarce water resources. However, despite a clear political will and considerable economic investment, these organizations are having difficulty getting off the ground. Their operation has so far been hampered by a lack of skills and information, and by conflicts of interest. CIRAD and its South African partners are working to consolidate these organizations by offering them tools and methods that should support them in conducting negotiations and making decisions.

Resolving disputes over water in periurban zones of Latin America

In periurban zones of developing countries, competition for water often leads to disputes. The Negowat project being conducted in Brazil and Bolivia should show how such situations can be alleviated by encouraging talks between stakeholders.

Strengthening producers’ organizations in Costa Rica

Producers’ organizations play a determining role in adapting agriculture to changing market demand. In response to trade globalization, more stringent consumer demands and environmental issues, they help farmers to adapt their production. In Costa Rica, a programme has been launched in partnership with CIRAD to help such groups step up their operations. It will be a long-haul project, combining training, improving the services provided, coordinating the various players and drawing up public policy.

Contracts for more profitable milk sales

In West Africa, the milk produced in rural areas is not widely used by the local dairy industry and faces stiff competition from imported powdered milk. To understand these market exclusion mechanisms, CIRAD and its partners have analysed the institutional arrangements underlying collection contracts in rural areas, notably regarding mini-dairies. Their work enabled a reinterpretation of previous failed attempts to launch industrial milk collection schemes.