Agricultural intensification in the Sahel – The ladder approach

Summary

This paper proposes the 'ladder approach' as a framework for agricultural intensification in the Sahel, likely addressing how smallholder farmers can progressively increase productivity within ecological and socio-economic constraints typical of semi-arid West Africa. The framework may describe incremental adoption pathways rather than prescriptive high-input models, reflecting local context and feasibility. Published in Agricultural Systems, the work contributes to understanding how to balance productivity goals with resilience in fragile dryland farming systems.

Regional applicability

While focused on Sahel agroclimatic conditions (West Africa), the ladder approach to incremental intensification may offer insights applicable to UK marginal upland or rainfed systems facing climate pressure, and potentially informs development policy and humanitarian agricultural programming in resource-constrained settings elsewhere.

Key measures

As suggested by the title, the study may examine stages or pathways of intensification, potentially measured by input levels, productivity metrics, or adoption patterns across farm types.

Outcomes reported

The paper likely presents a conceptual or empirical framework (the 'ladder approach') for understanding or guiding agricultural intensification in Sahel contexts, potentially addressing productivity, sustainability, or livelihood outcomes in resource-constrained environments.

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