TITLE:
Modeling the Spatio-Temporal Dynamics of Local Context for a Contextualized Diffusion of Agroecological Intensification Options in Niger
AUTHORS:
Nouhou Salifou Jangorzo, Maud Loireau, Abou-Soufianou Sadda, Ousmane Sami Mari, Abdoul-Aziz Saïdou, Hassane Bil-Assanou Issoufou
KEYWORDS:
Niger, Option by Context, Local Condition, Complex System, Multiscale, Conceptual Modeling
JOURNAL NAME:
International Journal of Geosciences,
Vol.15 No.3,
March
28,
2024
ABSTRACT: Spatio-temporal variability and
dynamics in Sahelian agro-pastoral zones make each local situation a special
case. These specificities must be considered to guide
the dissemination of agricultural options with a view to sustainable
development. The territorial scale of municipalities is not sufficient for this
necessary contextualization; the scale of the “village terroir” seems to be a better option. This is the hypothesis we put
forward in the framework of the Global Collaboration for Resilient Food Systems
program (CRFS), i.e. local context is
spatially defined by village terroir. The study is based on data collected
through participatory mapping and surveys in “village terroirs” in three
regions of Niger (Maradi, Dosso and Tillabéri). Then the links between farm
managers and their cultivated land, as well as the spatio-temporal dynamics of local context are analyzed. This study provides evidence of the existence and functional
usefulness of the village terroir for farmers, their land management and their
activities. It demonstrates the usefulness of contextualizing agricultural
options at this scale. Their analysis elucidates the links between “terroirs village” and the specific functioning of
the agrosocio-ecosystems acting on each of them, thus laying the systemic and
geographical foundations for a model of the spatio- temporal
dynamics of “village terroirs”. This initial work has opened up new perspectives
in modeling and sustainable development.