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FINDING USEFULFINDING USEFUL
TRADITIONS:TRADITIONS:
HISTORICAL PERSPECTIVES ONHISTORICAL PERSPECTIVES ON
CLIMATE VARIABILITY ANDCLIMATE VARIABILITY AND
THE USE OF ANIMALS INTHE USE OF ANIMALS IN
AFRICAN AGRICULTUREAFRICAN AGRICULTURE
Peta A. Jones
Donkey Power CC Facilitation & Consultancy Services,
PO Box 1695 Musina 0900, South Africa,
cell +27 83 686 7539
e-mail asstute@lantic.net; website www.donkeypower.donkecology.com

THERE IS NOTHINGTHERE IS NOTHING
NEW ABOUTNEW ABOUT
CLIMATE CHANGECLIMATE CHANGE
IN AFRICAIN AFRICA

The Sahara seems toThe Sahara seems to
have started drying outhave started drying out
around the time ofaround the time of
Moses, and the GreatMoses, and the Great
Plagues of Egypt arePlagues of Egypt are
fairly symptomatic offairly symptomatic of
climate change.climate change.

Cultivation and stock keepingCultivation and stock keeping
were already widelywere already widely
practised, but until aboutpractised, but until about
AD 1000, cattle were notAD 1000, cattle were not
very numerous. Sheep seemvery numerous. Sheep seem
to have been the preferredto have been the preferred
animal.animal.

Crops domesticated inCrops domesticated in
Africa do not requireAfrica do not require
very high rainfallvery high rainfall

Conservation measures,Conservation measures,
although requiring muchalthough requiring much
labour, were alreadylabour, were already
part of Africanpart of African
farming practicesfarming practices

Then some change ofThen some change of
climate seems to haveclimate seems to have
encouraged cattle keeping,encouraged cattle keeping,
and the structure ofand the structure of
African societiesAfrican societies
accordingly changed toaccordingly changed to
accommodate thisaccommodate this

Not long afterwards, theNot long afterwards, the
Portuguese introduced cropsPortuguese introduced crops
from the Americas andfrom the Americas and
elsewhere that did very wellelsewhere that did very well
in Africa, although requiringin Africa, although requiring
more moisture thanmore moisture than
traditional onestraditional ones

Although minor fluctuationsAlthough minor fluctuations
of climate are veryof climate are very
common in Africa, we seemcommon in Africa, we seem
to be faced with anotherto be faced with another
major one – and this timemajor one – and this time
the causes are easier tothe causes are easier to
detect.detect.

Too many people,Too many people,
eating too much food,eating too much food,
but not leaving enoughbut not leaving enough
space for farmingspace for farming

This is madeThis is made
worse by anworse by an
appetite for foodsappetite for foods
that are verythat are very
demanding on thedemanding on the
environmentenvironment

Although thereAlthough there
are species ofare species of
plants and animalsplants and animals
that are not sothat are not so
demandingdemanding

International bodiesInternational bodies
now recommendnow recommend
that, forthat, for
sustainability,sustainability,
agriculture should:agriculture should:

Disturb theDisturb the
soils assoils as
little aslittle as
possiblepossible

Keep soilsKeep soils
coveredcovered
year-roundyear-round

Grow cropsGrow crops
together andtogether and
in rotationin rotation

Ensure theEnsure the
properproper
integrationintegration
of animalsof animals

Ways of doingWays of doing
these things canthese things can
be found in thebe found in the
traditionstraditions

But peopleBut people
must be asked,must be asked,
not told, andnot told, and
women mustwomen must
also be heard !also be heard !

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