Agricultural development in Drought‐Prone Africa. L. J. Foster (ed.). ODI and Tropical Agricultural Association, 1986, 88 pp.
| Author | David Gibbon |
| Published date | 01 January 1988 |
| DOI | http://doi.org/10.1002/pad.4230080114 |
| Date | 01 January 1988 |
Book
Reviews
121
involvement of the earth sciences
in
planning. In addition, the presentation is
so
simple it
is almost condescending.
No
doubt the simplicity will be welcome to those that have trouble
with the English language; anyone else might well be insulted by the tone. My experience
of foreign planners leads me to the conclusion that they are a great deal sharper than this
book gives them credit for.
ALAN GILBERT
University College London
AGRICULTURAL DEVELOPMENT IN DROUGHT-PRONE AFRICA
L.
J.
Foster
(ed.)
OD1 and Tropical Agricultural Association, 1986, 88 pp.
This short book consists of a series of papers and notes presented at a conference with the
same title held in September, 1985. The conference was jointly organized by
the
OD1 and
TAA, and supported by the Royal Commonwealth Society. The book is introduced and
briefly outlined by
L.
J.
Foster.
In view of the importance of the theme at this particular time, the reader might have
expected a much more substantial publication. Many
of
the contributors are people of
immense experience
in
this area, and yet a number of contributions are very sketchy and
do no more than set out a number of important problems. There is no record of the
discussion at the conference, and there is
no
indication of how the ‘notes’ fitted into the
framework of the discussion of major issues.
Chapter
1
sets out some climatic, demographic and policy issues but does not really
introduce any new themes
or
reasons for the present crisis.
It
fails to discuss the nature
and potential
of
human resources and the interaction between humans, physical and
biological resources, and the technology of resource use. Chapter
2
(a quarter
of
the book)
is devoted to water resources, and despite the cautionary note on the limited potential for
anything other than the provision of water for human and livestock needs, the popular
optimistic note about irrigation development is sounded. Chapter
3
examines climate and
crop production research and development, and concentrates
on
methods of improving
soil, water and crop management through the wider application
of
known technically
efficient techniques. Thkchapter, and the following note on adaptive research, raises the
problem of adequate training for scientific and extension staff and the need to strengthen
institutional capabilities. Chapter
4
sets out some important options for plant breeding
research and the need for strengthening support systems, including policies and reward
systems. Chapter
5
examines crop protection research needs, and Chapter
6
briefly reviews
the slow progress
in
livestock and range research
in
Africa. There is a final, totally
inadequate, note on mechanization that does not begin to discuss any
of
the vital issues
of
access to labour and power supply by farmers and other household members.
In sum, this is a most dissappointing publication, and an excellent opportunity to explore
one of the most important themes in development today has been lost. The Tropical
Agricultural Association and the Overseas Development Institute have at their disposal a
greater wealth of expertise in agricultural development than that found in almost any other
country
in
the world. It is to be hoped that the next collaboration between the two will
result in a much more professional and useful publication.
DAVID GIBBON
School
of
Development Studies, University
of
East
Anglia
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