502 results on '"Sultan, Benjamin"'
Search Results
202. La question de la vulnérabilité et de l'adaptation de l'agriculture sahélienne au climat au sein du programme AMMA
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Sultan, Benjamin, primary, Alhassane, Agali, additional, Barbier, Bruno, additional, Baron, Christian, additional, Bella-Medjo Tsogo, Marthe, additional, Berg, Alexis, additional, Dingkuhn, Michael, additional, Fortilus, Jeanne, additional, Kouressy, Mamoutou, additional, Leblois, Antoine, additional, Marteau, Romain, additional, Muller, Bertrand, additional, Oettli, Pascal, additional, Quirion, Philippe, additional, Roudier, Philippe, additional, Traoré, Seydou B., additional, and Vaksmann, Michel, additional
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- 2012
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203. Are regional climate models relevant for crop yield prediction in West Africa?
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Oettli, Pascal, primary, Sultan, Benjamin, additional, Baron, Christian, additional, and Vrac, Mathieu, additional
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- 2011
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204. Characterizing and modeling the diversity of cropping situations under climatic constraints in West Africa
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Traoré, Seydou B., primary, Alhassane, Agali, additional, Muller, Bertrand, additional, Kouressy, Mamoutou, additional, Somé, Léopold, additional, Sultan, Benjamin, additional, Oettli, Pascal, additional, Siéné Laopé, Ambroise C., additional, Sangaré, Safiatou, additional, Vaksmann, Michel, additional, Diop, Mbaye, additional, Dingkhun, Michael, additional, and Baron, Christian, additional
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- 2010
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205. Including tropical croplands in a terrestrial biosphere model: application to West Africa
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Berg, Alexis, primary, Sultan, Benjamin, additional, and de Noblet-Ducoudré, Nathalie, additional
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- 2010
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206. Weather regimes over Senegal during the summer monsoon season using self-organizing maps and hierarchical ascendant classification. Part I: synoptic time scale
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Guèye, A. K., primary, Janicot, Serge, additional, Niang, A., additional, Sawadogo, S., additional, Sultan, Benjamin, additional, Diongue-Niang, A., additional, and Thiria, S., additional
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- 2010
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207. Medium Lead-Time Predictability of Intraseasonal Variability of Rainfall in West Africa
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Sultan, Benjamin, primary, Janicot, Serge, primary, and Correia, Cyrille, primary
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- 2009
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208. Multi‐scales and multi‐sites analyses of the role of rainfall in cotton yields in West Africa
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Sultan, Benjamin, primary, Bella‐Medjo, Marthe, additional, Berg, Alexis, additional, Quirion, Philippe, additional, and Janicot, Serge, additional
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- 2009
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209. Relationships between climate and year-to-year variability in meningitis outbreaks: A case study in Burkina Faso and Niger
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Yaka, Pascal, primary, Sultan, Benjamin, additional, Broutin, Hélène, additional, Janicot, Serge, additional, Philippon, Solenne, additional, and Fourquet, Nicole, additional
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- 2008
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210. Response of the South Indian runoff-harvesting civilization to northeast monsoon rainfall variability during the last 2000 years: instrumental records and indirect evidence
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Gunnell, Yanni, primary, Anupama, Krishnamurthy, additional, and Sultan, Benjamin, additional
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- 2007
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211. Comparative study of meningitis dynamics across nine African countries: a global perspective
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Broutin, Hélène, primary, Philippon, Solenne, additional, Constantin de Magny, Guillaume, additional, Courel, Marie-Françoise, additional, Sultan, Benjamin, additional, and Guégan, Jean-François, additional
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- 2007
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212. Influence du climat sur la survenue des épidémies de méningite en Afrique de l’ouest
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Sultan, Benjamin, primary
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- 2005
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213. Intra-seasonal modulation of convection in the West African Monsoon
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Janicot, Serge, primary and Sultan, Benjamin, additional
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- 2001
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214. Abrupt shift of the ITCZ over West Africa and intra-seasonal variability
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Sultan, Benjamin, primary and Janicot, Serge, additional
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- 2000
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215. Characterizing and modeling the diversity of cropping situations under climatic constraints in West Africa.
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Traoré, Seydou B., Alhassane, Agali, Muller, Bertrand, Kouressy, Mamoutou, Somé, Léopold, Sultan, Benjamin, Oettli, Pascal, Siéné Laopé, Ambroise C., Sangaré, Safiatou, Vaksmann, Michel, Diop, Mbaye, Dingkhun, Michael, and Baron, Christian
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- 2011
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216. Multi-scales and multi-sites analyses of the role of rainfall in cotton yields in West Africa.
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Sultan, Benjamin, Bella-Medjo, Marthe, Berg, Alexis, Quirion, Philippe, and Janicot, Serge
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COTTON , *AGRICULTURAL productivity & the environment , *AGRICULTURAL climatology , *RAINFALL , *COTTON farmers - Abstract
The article presents a study which assesses the effect of rainfall in cotton yields in West Africa through multi-scales and multi-sites analyses. The climate-yields relationships manifested by two completely different sites were determined using an experimental plot with a long-term historical yield-survey and yields of farmers from 28 administrative units of Cameroon. It also discusses the duration of rainy season and its effect to year-to-year and spatial distribution of cotton productivity.
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- 2010
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217. Role of the Hoggar massif in the West African monsoon onset.
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Drobinski, Philippe, Sultan, Benjamin, and Janicot, Serge
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- 2005
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218. The West African Monsoon Dynamics. Part II: The “Preonset” and “Onset” of the Summer Monsoon.
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Sultan, Benjamin and Janicot, Serge
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MONSOONS ,MOISTURE ,WINDS - Abstract
The arrival of the summer monsoon over West Africa has been documented by using daily gridded rainfall data and NCEP–NCAR reanalyses during the period 1968–90, and OLR data over the period 1979–90. Two steps have been characterized through a composite approach: the preonset and the onset of the summer monsoon. The preonset stage corresponds to the arrival in the intertropical front (ITF) at 15°N, that is, the confluence line between moist southwesterly monsoon winds and dry northeasterly Harmattan, bringing sufficient moisture for isolated convective systems to develop in the Sudano–Sahelian zone while the intertropical convergence zone (ITCZ) is centered at 5°N. The mean date for the preonset occurrence is 14 May and its standard deviation is 9.5 days during the period 1968–90. This leads to a first clear increase of the positive rainfall slope corresponding to the beginning of the rainy season over this Sudano–Sahelian area. The onset stage of the summer monsoon over West Africa is linked to an abrupt latitudinal shift of the ITCZ from a quasi-stationary location at 5°N in May–June to another quasi-stationary location at 10°N in July–August. The mean date for the onset occurrence is 24 June and its standard deviation is 8 days during the period 1968–90. This leads to a second increase of the positive rainfall slope over the Sudano–Sahelian zone signing the northernmost location of the ITCZ and the beginning of the monsoon season. This abrupt shift occurs mostly between 10°W and 5°E, where a meridional land–sea contrast exists, and it is characterized by a temporary rainfall and convection decrease over West Africa. Preonset dates, onset dates, and summer rainfall amount over the Sahel are uncorrelated during the period 1968–90. The atmospheric dynamics associated with the abrupt ITCZ shift has been investigated. Between the preonset and the onset stages, the heat low dynamics associated with the ITF controls the circulation in the low and midlevels. Its meridional circulation intensity is the highest at the beginning of the monsoon onset. This can lead to 1) increased convective inhibition in the ITCZ through intrusion of dry and subsiding air from the north, and 2) increased potential instability through a greater inland moisture advection and a higher monsoon depth induced by a stronger cyclonic circulation in the low levels, through higher vertical wind shear due to westerly monsoon wind and midlevel African easterly jet (AEJ) increases, through enhancement of the instability character of the AEJ, and through increased shortwave radiation received at the surface. During the monsoon onset, once the rainfall minimum occurred due to the convective inhibition, the accumulated potential instability breaks the convective inhibition, the inertial instability of the monsoon circulation is released, and the associated regional-scale circulation increases, leading to the abrupt shift of the ITCZ. Then the ITCZ moves north up to 10°N, where thermodynamical conditions are favorable. It is suggested by the authors that the abrupt shift of the ITCZ, initiated by the amplification of the heat low dynamics, could be due to an interaction with the northern orography of the Atlas–Ahaggar Mountains. Subsidence over and north of this orography, due to both the northern branches of the heat low and of the northern Hadley-type cell, contributes to enhance the high geopotentials north of these mountains and the associated northeasterly winds. This leads to the development of a leeward trough that reinforces the heat low dynamics, maintaining an active convective ITCZ through enhanced moist air advection from the ocean, increasing the northern Hadley circulation, which reinforces the high geopotentials and the interaction with the orography through a positive feedback. The fact that an abrupt shift of the ITCZ is only observed on the western part of West Africa may result from the enhancement of moisture advection, which comes from the west and has a stronger impact west of the Greenwich meridian. The northwest–southeast orientation of the Atlas–Ahaggar crest can induce the interaction with the heat low, first in the east where the mountains are nearer to the ITF than in the west, and second in the west. Another consequence of the possible orography-induced interaction with the atmospheric circulation is that the induced leeward trough, increasing the cyclonic vorticity in the heat low, may stimulate moisture convergence in the oceanic ITCZ near the western coast of West Africa. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]
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- 2003
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219. The West African Monsoon Dynamics. Part I: Documentation of Intraseasonal Variability.
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Sultan, Benjamin, Janicot, Serge, and Diedhiou, Arona
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MONSOONS ,RAINFALL ,CONVECTION (Astrophysics) - Abstract
Intraseasonal variability in the West African monsoon is documented by using daily gridded datasets of rainfall and convection, and reanalyzed atmospheric fields, over the period 1968–90. Rainfall and convection over West Africa are significantly modulated at two intraseasonal timescales, 10–25 and 25–60 day, leading to variations of more than 30% of the seasonal signal. A composite analysis based on the dates of the maximum (minimum) of a regional rainfall index in wet (dry) sequences shows that these sequences last, on average, 9 days and belong to a main quasiperiodic signal of about 15 days. A secondary periodicity of 38 days is present but leads to a weaker modulation. During a wet (dry) sequence, convection in the ITCZ is enhanced (weakened) and its northern boundary moves to the north (south), while the speed of the African easterly jet decreases (increases), the speed of the tropical easterly jet increases (decreases), and the monsoon flow becomes stronger (weaker), all these features being similar to the ones associated with interannual variability characterizing wet and dry years. This modulation of convection at intraseasonal timescales is not limited to West Africa but corresponds to a westward-propagating signal from eastern Africa to the western tropical Atlantic. An enhanced monsoon phase is associated with stronger cyclonic activity in the low levels over the Sahel associated with stronger moisture advection over West Africa. Five days before the full development of the wet phase, a stronger cyclonic circulation at 20°E induces enhanced southerly winds along 25°E where convection enhances, while another westward-propagating cyclonic circulation is located at 0°. This atmospheric pattern is linked to the enhancement of the subsiding branch of the northern Hadley cell at 35°N, northerly advection of drier air over West Africa, and to increased dry convection in the heat low at 20°N. It propagates westward, leading to a zonally extended area of enhanced monsoon winds over West Africa consistent with the occurrence of the wet phase. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]
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- 2003
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220. From GCM grid cell to agricultural plot: scale issues affecting modelling of climate impact
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Baron, Christian, Sultan, Benjamin, Balme, Maud, Sarr, Benoit, Traore, Seydou, Lebel, Thierry, Janicot, Serge, and Dingkuhn, Michael
- Abstract
General circulation models (GCM) are increasingly capable of making relevant predictions of seasonal and long-term climate variability, thus improving prospects of predicting impact on crop yields. This is particularly important for semi-arid West Africa where climate variability and drought threaten food security. Translating GCM outputs into attainable crop yields is difficult because GCM grid boxes are of larger scale than the processes governing yield, involving partitioning of rain among runoff, evaporation, transpiration, drainage and storage at plot scale. This study analyses the bias introduced to crop simulation when climatic data is aggregated spatially or in time, resulting in loss of relevant variation. A detailed case study was conducted using historical weather data for Senegal, applied to the crop model SARRA-H (version for millet). The study was then extended to a 10°N–17° N climatic gradient and a 31 year climate sequence to evaluate yield sensitivity to the variability of solar radiation and rainfall. Finally, a down-scaling model called LGO (Lebel–Guillot–Onibon), generating local rain patterns from grid cell means, was used to restore the variability lost by aggregation. Results indicate that forcing the crop model with spatially aggregated rainfall causes yield overestimations of 10–50% in dry latitudes, but nearly none in humid zones, due to a biased fraction of rainfall available for crop transpiration. Aggregation of solar radiation data caused significant bias in wetter zones where radiation was limiting yield. Where climatic gradients are steep, these two situations can occur within the same GCM grid cell. Disaggregation of grid cell means into a pattern of virtual synoptic stations having high-resolution rainfall distribution removed much of the bias caused by aggregation and gave realistic simulations of yield. It is concluded that coupling of GCM outputs with plot level crop models can cause large systematic errors due to scale incompatibility. These errors can be avoided by transforming GCM outputs, especially rainfall, to simulate the variability found at plot level.
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- 2005
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221. Water Constraints and Flood-Recession Agriculture in the Senegal River Valley.
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Sall, Mamadou, Poussin, Jean-Christophe, Bossa, Aymar Yaovi, Ndiaye, Ramatoulaye, Cissé, Madiama, Martin, Didier, Bader, Jean-Claude, Sultan, Benjamin, and Ogilvie, Andrew
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VALLEYS ,WATER supply ,REMOTE-sensing images ,FLOOD control ,RIPARIAN areas ,AGRICULTURAL water supply ,ALPINE glaciers - Abstract
Flood recession farming practiced in flood-prone areas and on the banks of rivers and lakes in arid or semi-arid environments essentially depends on the soil water stock after the flood has receded. During these last few decades, this coveted agriculture is increasingly challenged by severe water constraints, due to increased hydrological hazards and development projects aimed at controlling floods. These challenges are difficult to anticipate, and are the subject of a great deal of uncertainty regarding the sustainability of development projects in the concerned areas. In this study, recent hydraulic data of the Senegal River were analyzed to understand the constraints related to the river management in flood-prone areas. Satellite imagery analysis techniques were used to estimate flooded areas and establish relationships with the river regime. Agricultural practices implemented by farmers were also analyzed to evaluate the resilience of this cropping system to the risk of water stress. The results confirmed many constraints of different importance related to the objectives assigned to the management of dams under multiple water use context. It clearly came out that the water resource management rules relegate flood-recession agriculture to the lowest priorities. In addition, there are safety issues related to unexpected effects of flooding on the water structures and in the nearby inhabited localities of flood-prone areas. Knowing some characteristics of the flooding and of the river's levels and their relationships can be useful within the framework of an organized climate service that would help farmers and communities to better anticipate constraints. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]
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- 2020
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222. Impact of Climate Change in West Africa on Cereal Production Per Capita in 2050.
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Defrance, Dimitri, Sultan, Benjamin, Castets, Mathieu, Famien, Adjoua Moise, and Baron, Christian
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Food security is a crucial issue in the Sahel and could be endangered by climate change and demographic pressure during the 21st century. Higher temperatures and changes in rainfall induced by global warming are threatening rainfed agriculture in this region while the population is expected to increase approximately three-fold until 2050. Our study quantifies the impact of climate change on food security by combining climate modelling (16 models from CMIP5), crop yield (simulated by agronomic model, SARRA-O) and demographic evolution (provided by UN projection) under two future climatic scenarios. We simulate yield for the main crops in five countries in West Africa and estimate the population pressure on crop production to assess the number of available cereal production per capita. We found that, although uncertain, the African monsoon evolution leads to an increase of rainfall in Eastern Sahel and a decrease in Western Sahel under the RCP8.5 (Representative Concentration Pathway) scenario from IPCC, leading to the higher temperature increase by the end of the 21st century. With regard to the abundance of food for the inhabitants, all the scenarios in each country show that in 2050, local agricultural production will be below 50 kg per capita. This situation can have impact on crop import and regional migration. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]
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- 2020
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223. Evidence of crop production losses in West Africa due to historical global warming in two crop models.
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Sultan, Benjamin, Defrance, Dimitri, and Iizumi, Toshichika
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AGRICULTURAL productivity , *GLOBAL warming , *FOOD security , *CLIMATE change , *RAINFALL - Abstract
Achieving food security goals in West Africa will depend on the capacity of the agricultural sector to feed the rapidly growing population and to moderate the adverse impacts of climate change. Indeed, a number of studies anticipate a reduction of the crop yield of the main staple food crops in the region in the coming decades due to global warming. Here, we found that crop production might have already been affected by climate change, with significant yield losses estimated in the historical past. We used a large ensemble of historical climate simulations derived from an atmospheric general circulation model and two process-based crop models, SARRA-H and CYGMA, to evaluate the effects of historical climate change on crop production in West Africa. We generated two ensembles of 100 historical simulations of yields of sorghum and millet corresponding to two climate conditions for each crop model. One ensemble is based on a realistic simulation of the actual climate, while the other is based on a climate simulation that does not account for human influences on climate systems (that is, the non-warming counterfactual climate condition). We found that the last simulated decade, 2000–2009, is approximately 1 °C warmer in West Africa in the ensemble accounting for human influences on climate, with more frequent heat and rainfall extremes. These altered climate conditions have led to regional average yield reductions of 10–20% for millet and 5–15% for sorghum in the two crop models. We found that the average annual production losses across West Africa in 2000–2009 associated with historical climate change, relative to a non-warming counterfactual condition (that is, pre-industrial climate), accounted for 2.33–4.02 billion USD for millet and 0.73–2.17 billion USD for sorghum. The estimates of production losses presented here can be a basis for the loss and damage associated with climate change to date and useful in estimating the costs of the adaptation of crop production systems in the region. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]
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- 2019
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224. Does climate opportunity facilitate smallholder farmers' adaptive capacity in the Sahel?
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Lalou, Richard, Sultan, Benjamin, Muller, Bertrand, and Ndonky, Alphousseyni
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AGRICULTURE awards ,FARMERS ,CLIMATOLOGY ,CASH crops ,CROP development ,FOOD security ,AGRICULTURAL conservation - Abstract
In Africa, adaptation will be crucial to offset expected negative climate change impacts on food security and agriculture development. In this study, we combine meteorological data from 18 local stations, field surveys on agricultural practices and agronomic information on the growth of millet to demonstrate the crop suitability to the present climate and the ability of Senegalese farmers to adapt their practices to climate variability, and to disseminate them. From data collected in both 665 villages and 1061 farmers, our study provides quantitative evidence of the responsive adaptation of farmers in the Sahel where the recent resumption of rainfall has provided new agricultural opportunities. Statistical models and cropping simulations show that these farmers innovate by reintroducing and disseminating a long cycle millet cultivar—more suitable for wet environments. We note that although this adaptation is a clear response to recent changes in quantity and distribution of rainfall, its adoption remains limited (50% of the villages visited and 25% of the surveyed agricultural producers have cultivated the new millet variety) and varies strongly within the same climatic context and by characteristics of farmers (willing and capacity), indicating different agricultural strategies (diversification, market exchanges). If land access and development of cash crops are hindrances to the adoption of sanio, poverty is clearly not a barrier and adaptation is not a lever for wealth creation. Such adaptative capacities, together with government incentives for farmers to sustainably adapt to climate change, can be important in reducing climate risks in the coming years. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]
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- 2019
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225. Current need for climate services in West Africa: Results from the ISIpedia and CLIMAP stakeholder surveys.
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Lejeune, Quentin, Sultan, Benjamin, Roudier, Philippe, Menke, Inga, Sy, Ibrahima, Maskell, Gina, and Lee, Kaylin
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CLIMATE change , *CLIMATOLOGY , *INTERNET access , *STAKEHOLDER theory , *DEVELOPMENT banks - Abstract
The need for climate services in West Africa can be strongly argued for by the strong climate impacts that the region will be confronted with in the future, which add to its already existing specific biophysical and social vulnerability to climate variations. In order to be of best use, the development of climate services in West Africa should pay dedicated attention to the particular profiles, needs and skills of their future users in this region.Both the ISIpedia and CLIMAP projects, funded by the European Joint Programming Initiative "Connecting Climate Knowledge for Europe", respectively the French Ministry for an Ecological and Solidary Transition, have recently tried to achieve this through defined stakeholder engagement processes in West Africa, with the final objective of developing a portal delivering climate and climate-impact information. Within each project, a user survey targeted at the potential future users of these portals was conducted independently between the end of 2017 and April 2018. The ISIpedia survey collected 131 usable answers worldwide, including 23 from West Africa which mainly come from government members or scientists working on climate-related science in this region. 58 persons responded to the CLIMAP survey in total, and these are currently working for companies, universities, government agencies or development banks in Senegal.About 30% of the respondents to the CLIMAP survey declared using climate projections at least once a month, while the integrality of the West African respondents to the ISIpedia survey use climate-impact information at this frequency. The collected responses are therefore useful to reveal some key insights on how to tailor climate services to the needs of West African users. They point at barriers to making use of available climate or climate-impact information that are shared globally, such as large uncertainties or a spatial scale mismatch between delivered information and the respondents' requirements. However, they also consistently emphasise issues that are more acute in the West African region, such as the lack of skills to understand or use the available information, infrastructure problems (e.g., poor Internet access), or the lacking information in another language than English. Both the ISIpedia and CLIMAP projects have already and will further make use of these survey results in order to design and develop content for portals delivering climate-related information in West Africa (eventually targeting a global coverage in the case of ISIpedia), as well as accompanying capacity-building activities. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]
- Published
- 2019
226. Impact of surface temperature biases on climate change projections of the South Pacific Convergence Zone and tropical cyclone activity.
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Dutheil, Cyril, bador, Margot, Lengaigne, Matthieu, Vialard, Jérôme, Lefèvre, Jérôme, Jourdain, Nicolas, Jullien, Swen, Peltier, Alexandre, Sultan, Benjamin, and Menkes, Christophe
- Published
- 2019
227. Development process and main features of CLIMAP: a climate web portal for agriculture in Senegal.
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Roudier, Philippe, Sy, Ibrahima, Sultan, Benjamin, and Braud, Laurent
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- 2019
228. Reduction of CMIP5 models bias using Cumulative Distribution Function transform and impact on crops yields simulations across West Africa
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Adjoua Moise Famien, Defrance, Dimitri, Sultan, Benjamin, Janicot, Serge, and Vrac, Mathieu
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2. Zero hunger ,13. Climate action ,15. Life on land
229. Land-surface characteristics and climate in West Africa : Models’ biases and impacts of historical anthropogenically-induced deforestation
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Sy, Souleymane, Noblet-Ducoudré, Nathalie De, Quesada, Benjamin, Sy, Ibrahima, Dieye, Amadou Moctar, Gaye, Amadou Thierno, and Sultan, Benjamin
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climate change ,land use-land cover change ,13. Climate action ,land surface models ,West Africa ,deforestation ,LUCID ,15. Life on land ,land-atmosphere interaction - Abstract
Land Use Land-Cover Change (LULCC), such as deforestation, affects the climate system and land-atmosphere interactions. Using simulations carried out within the LUCID (Land Use and Climate, IDentification of robust Impacts) project framework, we first quantify the role of historical land-cover change induced by human activities on surface climate in West Africa. Focusing on two contrasted African regions, we find that climate responses of land-use changes are small but they are still statistically significant. In Western Sahel, a statistically significant near-surface atmospheric cooling and a decrease in water recycling are simulated in summer in response to LULCC. Over the Guinean zone, models simulate a significant decrease in precipitation and water recycling in autumn in response to LULCC. This signal is comparable in magnitude with the effect induced by the increase in greenhouse gases. Simulated climate changes due to historical LULCC could however be underestimated because: (i) the prescribed LULCC can be underestimated in those regions; (ii) the climate models underestimate the coupling strength between West African surface climate and leaf area index (LAI) and (iii) the lack of interactive LAI in some models. Finally, our study reveals indirect atmospheric processes triggered by LULCC. Over the Western Sahel, models reveal that a significant decrease in solar reflection tend to cool down the surface and thus counteract the atmospheric feedback. Conversely, over the Guinea zone, models reveal that the indirect atmospheric processes and turbulent heat fluxes dominate the climatic responses over the direct effects of LULCC.
230. The impact of future climate change on West African crop yields: What does the recent literature say?
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Roudier, Philippe, Sultan, Benjamin, Quirion, Philippe, and Berg, Alexis
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2. Zero hunger ,13. Climate action ,1. No poverty ,Life Sciences ,15. Life on land - Abstract
Symposium on Social Theory and the Environment in the New World (dis)Order ; International audience ; In West Africa, agriculture, mainly rainfed, is a major economic sector and the one most vulnerable to climate change. A meta-database of future crop yields, built up from 16 recent studies, is used to provide an overall assessment of the potential impact of climate change on yields, and to analyze sources of uncertainty. Despite a large dispersion of yield changes ranging from -50% to +90%, the median is a yield loss near -11%. This negative impact is assessed by both empirical and process-based crop models whereas the Ricardian approach gives very contrasted results, even within a single study. The predicted impact is larger in northern West Africa (Sudano-Sahelian countries, -18% median response) than in southern West Africa (Guinean countries, -13%) which is likely due to drier and warmer projections in the northern part of West Africa. Moreover, negative impacts on crop productivity increase in severity as warming intensifies, with a median yield loss near -15% with most intense warming, highlighting the importance of global warming mitigation. The consistently negative impact of climate change results mainly from the temperature whose increase projected by climate models is much larger relative to precipitation change. However, rainfall changes, still uncertain in climate projections, have the potential to exacerbate or mitigate this impact depending on whether rainfall decreases or increases. Finally, results highlight the pivotal role that the carbon fertilization effect may have on the sign and amplitude of change in crop yields. This effect is particularly strong for a high carbon dioxide concentration scenario and for C3 crops (e.g. soybean, cassava). As staple crops are mainly C4 (e.g. maize, millet, sorghum) in WA, this positive effect is less significant for the region. (C) 2011 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.
231. Weather-index drought insurance in Burkina-Faso: assessment of its potential interest to farmers
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Berg, Alexis, Quirion, Philippe, and Sultan, Benjamin
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2. Zero hunger ,Life Sciences ,Business ,Social and Behavioral Sciences - Abstract
By using a detailed agricultural and climate dataset over Burkina-Faso and simple assumptions regarding the form of an insurance contract, the authors investigate the potential economic efficiency for farmers of a weather-index insurance system in this country. To do so, the results of more than 3000 simulated contracts applied to 30 districts, 21 yr (1984–2004), and five crops (cotton, millet, sorghum, maize, and groundnut) are explored. It is found that such an insurance system, even based on a simple weather index like cumulative rainfall during the rainy season, can present a significant economic efficiency for some crops and districts. The determinants of the efficiency of such contracts are analyzed in terms of yield/index correlations and yield variability. As a consequence of these two main determinants, the farmer's gain from an insurance contract is higher in the driest part of the country. In the same way, maize and groundnuts are the most suitable to implement an insurance system since their respective yields show a large variance and a generally high correlation with the weather index. However, the implementation of a real weather-index insurance system in West Africa raises a number of key practical issues related to cultural, economic, and institutional aspects.
232. Land-surface characteristics and climate in West Africa : Models’ biases and impacts of historical anthropogenically-induced deforestation
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Sy, Souleymane, Noblet-Ducoudré, Nathalie De, Quesada, Benjamin, Sy, Ibrahima, Dieye, Amadou Moctar, Gaye, Amadou Thierno, and Sultan, Benjamin
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climate change ,land use-land cover change ,13. Climate action ,land surface models ,West Africa ,deforestation ,LUCID ,15. Life on land ,land-atmosphere interaction - Abstract
Land Use Land-Cover Change (LULCC), such as deforestation, affects the climate system and land-atmosphere interactions. Using simulations carried out within the LUCID (Land Use and Climate, IDentification of robust Impacts) project framework, we first quantify the role of historical land-cover change induced by human activities on surface climate in West Africa. Focusing on two contrasted African regions, we find that climate responses of land-use changes are small but they are still statistically significant. In Western Sahel, a statistically significant near-surface atmospheric cooling and a decrease in water recycling are simulated in summer in response to LULCC. Over the Guinean zone, models simulate a significant decrease in precipitation and water recycling in autumn in response to LULCC. This signal is comparable in magnitude with the effect induced by the increase in greenhouse gases. Simulated climate changes due to historical LULCC could however be underestimated because: (i) the prescribed LULCC can be underestimated in those regions; (ii) the climate models underestimate the coupling strength between West African surface climate and leaf area index (LAI) and (iii) the lack of interactive LAI in some models. Finally, our study reveals indirect atmospheric processes triggered by LULCC. Over the Western Sahel, models reveal that a significant decrease in solar reflection tend to cool down the surface and thus counteract the atmospheric feedback. Conversely, over the Guinea zone, models reveal that the indirect atmospheric processes and turbulent heat fluxes dominate the climatic responses over the direct effects of LULCC.
233. Comparative study of meningitis dynamics across nine African countries: a global perspective
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Broutin, H��l��ne, Philippon, Solenne, De Magny, Guillaume Constantin, Courel, Marie-Fran��oise, Sultan, Benjamin, and Gu��gan, Jean-Fran��ois
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Global Synchrony ,Wavelet Analysis ,Meningitis ,Mass Vaccination ,Meningococcal Meningitis ,3. Good health - Abstract
Meningococcal meningitis (MM) represents an important public health problem especially in the "meningitis belt" in Africa. Although seasonality of epidemics is well known with outbreaks usually starting in the dry season, pluri-annual cycles are still less understood and even studied. In this context, we aimed at study MM cases time series across 9 sahelo-sudanian countries to detect pluri-annual periodicity and determine or not synchrony between dynamics. This global and comparative approach allows a better understanding of MM evolution in time and space in the long-term. We used the most adapted mathematical tool to time series analyses, the wavelet method. We showed that, despite a strong consensus on the existence of a global pluri-annual cycle of MM epidemics, it is not the case. Indeed, even if a clear cycle is detected in all countries, these cycles are not as permanent and regular as generally admitted since many years. Moreover, no global synchrony was detected although many countries seemed correlated. These results of the first large-scale study of MM dynamics highlight the strong interest and the necessity of a global survey of MM in order to be able to predict and prevent large epidemics by adapted vaccination strategy. International cooperation in Public Health and cross-disciplines studies are highly recommended to hope controlling this infectious disease.
234. Pearl millet yields and climate evolution across the last 20 years in central Senegal. A yield gap study. [P93]
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Patrice Kouakou, Muller, Bertrand, Affholder, François, Guisse, Aliou, and Sultan, Benjamin
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F01 - Culture des plantes ,P40 - Météorologie et climatologie - Abstract
The study focuses on the evolution of yield of pearl millet in central Senegal between the early 1990s (P1) and present time (P2). Mean air temperature and total annual rainfall both increased between P1 and P2. To avoid confounding effects due to these differences in climate with other possible causes, yields measured in farmers' fields (Ya) in the two periods were compared with estimates of potential (Yp) and water-limited (Yw) yields obtained using a crop model. Ya were extremely variable across fields whatever the period (100 to 1937 Kg.ha-1) and much lower than simulated Yw (1343 to 3251 Kg.ha-1). Resulting from interactions between changes in sowing dates, the photoperiod sensitive nature of the cultivars used, and the distribution of changes in temperature across the rainy season (increasing in June and July, and decreasing in August and September), cycle durations were slightly but significantly increased between P1 and P2, whereas solar radiation decreased concomitantly with the increase in rainfall (from 377 to 614 mm). This provoked a decrease in Yp (3076±14 Kg.ha-1 in P1 against 2843±37 Kg.ha-1 in P2), whereas Yw increased (1959±92 Kg.ha-1 in P1 against 2571±72 Kg.ha-1 in P2). With the change in Ya, passing from 835±105 Kg.ha-1 for P1 to 525±43 Kg.ha-1 for P2, the resulting yield gap Yw-Ya significantly increased (1124±140 Kg.ha-1 in P1 against 2045±77 Kg.ha-1 in P2). Field management did not significantly change between P1 and P2. It is concluded that the low yields and their stability across climate variations were due to the non-intensive nature of the cropping system. The impact of climate change on agricultural systems of the region should be studied accounting for complex interactions between rainfall, temperature, and radiation and for possible changes in cropping systems in response to changes in the economic environment of farms, that would likely change the crop's sensitivity to climate variables. (Texte intégral)
235. Enhancing Understanding of the Impact of Climate Change on Malaria in West Africa Using the Vector-Borne Disease Community Model of the International Center for Theoretical Physics (VECTRI) and the Bias-Corrected Phase 6 Coupled Model Intercomparison Project Data (CMIP6)
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Fall, Papa, Diouf, Ibrahima, Deme, Abdoulaye, Diouf, Semou, Sene, Doudou, Sultan, Benjamin, and Janicot, Serge
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MEDICAL climatology , *VECTOR-borne diseases , *CLIMATE change , *MALARIA , *ARID regions , *INSECTICIDE resistance , *MOSQUITO control , *MALARIA prevention - Abstract
In sub-Saharan Africa, temperatures are generally conducive to malaria transmission, and rainfall provides mosquitoes with optimal breeding conditions. The objective of this study is to assess the impact of future climate change on malaria transmission in West Africa using community-based vector-borne disease models, TRIeste (VECTRI). This VECTRI model, based on bias-corrected data from the Phase 6 Coupled Model Intercomparison Project (CMIP6), was used to simulate malaria parameters, such as the entomological inoculation rate (EIR). Due to the lack of data on confirmed malaria cases throughout West Africa, we first validated the forced VECTRI model with CMIP6 data in Senegal. This comparative study between observed malaria data from the National Malaria Control Program in Senegal (Programme National de Lutte contre le Paludisme, PNLP, PNLP) and malaria simulation data with the VECTRI (EIR) model has shown the ability of the biological model to simulate malaria transmission in Senegal. We then used the VECTRI model to reproduce the historical characteristics of malaria in West Africa and quantify the projected changes with two Shared Socio-economic Pathways (SSPs). The method adopted consists of first studying the climate in West Africa for a historical period (1950–2014), then evaluating the performance of VECTRI to simulate malaria over the same period (1950–2014), and finally studying the impact of projected climate change on malaria in a future period (2015–2100) according to the ssp245 ssp585 scenario. The results showed that low-latitude (southern) regions with abundant rainfall are the areas most affected by malaria transmission. Two transmission peaks are observed in June and October, with a period of high transmission extending from May to November. In contrast to regions with high latitudes in the north, semi-arid zones experience a relatively brief transmission period that occurs between August, September, and October, with the peak observed in September. Regarding projections based on the ssp585 scenario, the results indicate that, in general, malaria prevalence will gradually decrease in West Africa in the distant future. But the period of high transmission will tend to expand in the future. In addition, the shift of malaria prevalence from already affected areas to more suitable areas due to climate change is observed. Similar results were also observed with the ssp245 scenario regarding the projection of malaria prevalence. In contrast, the ssp245 scenario predicts an increase in malaria prevalence in the distant future, while the ssp585 scenario predicts a decrease. These findings are valuable for decision makers in developing public health initiatives in West Africa to mitigate the impact of this disease in the region in the context of climate change. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]
- Published
- 2023
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236. Price vs. weather shock hedging for cash crops: Ex ante evaluation for cotton producers in Cameroon.
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Leblois, Antoine, Quirion, Philippe, and Sultan, Benjamin
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RAINFALL , *COTTON farmers , *AGRICULTURE , *RISK assessment , *ENVIRONMENTAL indicators , *COTTON growing , *WEATHER insurance , *CROP yields , *AGRICULTURE & the environment - Abstract
In the Sudano–Sahelian zone, which includes Northern Cameroon, the inter-annual variability of the rainy season is high and irrigation scarce. As a consequence, bad rainy seasons have a detrimental impact on crop yield. In this paper, we assess the risk mitigation capacity of weather index-based insurance for cotton farmers. We compare the ability of various indices, mainly based on daily rainfall, to increase the expected utility of a representative risk-averse farmer. We first give a tractable definition of basis risk and use it to show that weather index-based insurance is associated with a large basis risk, whatever the index considered. It has thus limited potential for income smoothing, a conclusion which is robust to the utility function. Second, in accordance with the existing agronomical literature we find that the length of the cotton growing cycle, in days, is the best performing index considered. Third, we show that using observed cotton sowing dates to define the length of the growing cycle significantly decreases the basis risk, compared to using simulated sowing dates. Finally we find that the gain of the weather-index based insurance is lower than that of hedging against cotton price fluctuations provided by the national cotton company. This casts doubt on the strategy of supporting weather–index insurances in cash crop sectors selling at international market prices without recommending any price stabilisation scheme. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]
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- 2014
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237. Mapping Weather-Type Influence on Senegal Precipitation Based on a Spatial-Temporal Statistical Model*.
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Rust, Henning W., Vrac, Mathieu, Sultan, Benjamin, and Lengaigne, Matthieu
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METEOROLOGICAL precipitation , *MONSOONS , *HUMIDITY , *DROUGHTS , *CLIMATE change - Abstract
Senegal is particularly vulnerable to precipitation variability. To investigate the influence of large-scale circulation on local-scale precipitation, a full spatial-statistical description of precipitation occurrence and amount for Senegal is developed. These regression-type models have been built on the basis of daily records at 137 locations and were developed in two stages: (i) a baseline model describing the expected daily occurrence probability and precipitation amount as spatial fields from monsoon onset to offset, and (ii) the inclusion of weather types defined from the NCEP-NCAR reanalysis 850-hPa winds and 925-hPa relative humidity establishing the link to the synoptic-scale atmospheric circulation. During peak phase, the resulting types appear in two main cycles that can be linked to passing African easterly waves. The models allow the investigation of the spatial response of precipitation occurrence and amount to a discrete set of preferred states of the atmospheric circulation. As such, they can be used for drought risk mapping and the downscaling of climate change projections. Necessary choices, such as filtering and scaling of the atmospheric data (as well as the number of weather types to be used), have been made on the basis of the precipitation models' performance instead of relying on external criteria. It could be demonstrated that the inclusion of the synoptic-scale weather types lead to skill on the local and daily scale. On the interannual scale, the models for precipitation occurrence and amount capture 26% and 38% of the interannual spatially averaged variability, corresponding to Pearson correlation coefficients of rO = 0.52 and ri = 0.65, respectively. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]
- Published
- 2013
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238. Adapting rainfed rice to climate change: a case study in Senegal.
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Gérardeaux, Edward, Falconnier, Gatien, Gozé, Eric, Defrance, Dimitri, Kouakou, Paul-Martial, Loison, Romain, Sultan, Benjamin, Affholder, François, and Muller, Bertrand
- Abstract
Rainfed crop production predominates in West Africa. Rice is an important staple food, especially in Senegal. The scope for increase in rice production under irrigated conditions is uncertain. Rainfed rice is therefore a key component for regional food security impelling agronomists to assess climate change impact on rainfed rice yield and to design rainfed rice ideotypes suited to future climate scenarios. The DSSAT CSM-CERES-Rice model was thus calibrated and evaluated on 19 agronomic experiments conducted in 2012, 2013, and 2014, in 6 locations, with 21 cultivars and two fertilization levels (20 and 80 kg N ha−1). Simulations were then carried out with the crop model forced with the downscaled projections of seven climate models, with and without considering the impact of an increase in atmospheric [CO2], using an ensemble of global circulation models and two Representative Concentration Pathways (RCP2.6 and RCP8.5). Simulated rice yield was divided by two over the century with RCP8.5 and stagnated with RCP2.6. Elevated [CO2] significantly increased yields, but this effect could not offset the yield decline due to elevated temperatures. Cultivars with longer vegetative phases and greater temperature tolerance were better adapted to climate change than current cultivars. Using these new cultivars with the recommended fertilization rate (80 kg N ha−1) could offset the yield decline due to climate change. For the first time, we bring together a study based on a process-based crop model handling crop response to elevated [CO2], a large set of field experiments and up-to-date climate projections (i) to provide useful insights into plausible impacts of climate change on rainfed rice in Senegal and (ii) to identify cultivar characteristics relevant for adaptation to future possible climates. Our findings will help set priorities for breeding resilient cultivar in the region. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]
- Published
- 2021
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239. Evaluation of 23 gridded precipitation datasets across West Africa.
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Satgé, Frédéric, Defrance, Dimitri, Sultan, Benjamin, Bonnet, Marie-Paule, Seyler, Frédérique, Rouché, Nathalie, Pierron, Fabrice, and Paturel, Jean-Emmanuel
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- *
METEOROLOGICAL precipitation , *RAIN gauges , *SPACETIME , *TIME management - Abstract
• Unprecedented report on 23 precipitation datasets reliability across West Africa. • Large discrepancies are observed between the precipitation datasets reliability. • The datasets reliability differ in space and according to the considered time step. • MSWEP is the most accurate dataset to represent the daily precipitation dynamic. • CHIRPS is the most accurate dataset to represent the monthly precipitation dynamic. This study aims reporting on 23 gridded precipitation datasets (P-datasets) reliability across West Africa through direct comparisons with rain gauges measurement at the daily and monthly time scales over a 4 years period (2000–2003). All P-datasets reliability vary in space and time. The most efficient P-dataset in term of Kling–Gupta Efficiency (KGE) changes at the local scale and the P-dataset performance is sensitive to seasonal effects. Satellite-based P-datasets performed better during the wet than the dry season whereas the opposite is observed for reanalysis P-datasets. The best overall performance was obtained for MSWEP v.2.2 and CHIRPS v.2 for daily and monthly time-step, respectively. Part of the differences in P-dataset performance at daily and monthly time step comes from the time step used to proceed the gauges adjustment (i.e day or month) and from a mismatch between gauge and satellite reporting times. In comparison to the others P-datasets, TMPA-Adj v.7 reliability is stable and reach the second highest KGE value at both daily and monthly time step. Reanalysis P-datasets (WFDEI, MERRA-2, JRA-55, ERA-Interim) present among the lowest statistical scores at the daily time step, which drastically increased at the monthly time step for WFDEI and MERRA-2. The non-adjusted P-datasets were the less efficient, but, their near-real time availability should be helpful for risk forecast studies (i.e. GSMaP-RT v.6). The results of this study give important elements to select the most adapted P-dataset for specific application across West Africa. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]
- Published
- 2020
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240. Robust assessment of the time of emergence of precipitation change in West Africa.
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Gaetani, Marco, Janicot, Serge, Vrac, Mathieu, Famien, Adjoua Moise, and Sultan, Benjamin
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- *
CLIMATE change , *ROBUST statistics , *METEOROLOGICAL precipitation , *CLIMATOLOGY - Abstract
The time of emergence (TOE) of climate change is defined as the time when a new climate state emerges from a prior one. TOE assessment is particularly relevant in West Africa, a region highly threatened by climate change and urgently needing trustworthy climate predictions. In this paper, the TOE of precipitation change in West Africa is assessed for the first time, by analyzing 6 precipitation metrics (cumulated precipitation, number of wet and very wet days, onset and length of the rainy season) computed from the output of 29 state-of-the-art climate models. In West Sahel, climate conditions characterized by reduced occurrence of wet days are likely to emerge before 2036, leading to the possible emergence of a dryer climate in 2028–2052. In East Sahel, a wetter precipitation regime characterized by increased occurrence of very wet days is likely to emerge before 2054. Results do not provide a clear indication about a possible climate shift in the onset and length of the rainy season. Although uncertainty in climate model future projections still limits the robust determination of TOE locally, this study provides reliable time constraints to the expected climate shift in West Africa at the sub-regional scale, supporting adaptation measures to the future change in the precipitation regime. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]
- Published
- 2020
- Full Text
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241. Co-production opportunities seized and missed in decision-support frameworks for climate-change adaptation in agriculture – How do we practice the "best practice"?
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Dolinska, Aleksandra, Hassenforder, Emeline, Loboguerrero, Ana Maria, Sultan, Benjamin, Bossuet, Jérôme, Cottenceau, Jeanne, Bonatti, Michelle, Hellin, Jon, Mekki, Insaf, Drogoul, Alexis, and Vadez, Vincent
- Subjects
- *
CLIMATE change adaptation , *BEST practices , *LITERATURE reviews , *SUSTAINABLE agriculture , *CRITICAL thinking , *CLIMATE change - Abstract
To contribute to building sustainable and effective climate change adaptation solutions avoiding usability gap, it is largely recommended to engage in the process of co-production, integrating expertise and knowledge from various academic and non-academic actors. We want to learn if and how co-production, believed to effectively link knowledge and decision-making, and thus suggested as the best practice in building decision-support frameworks, is really applied in the frameworks that are being implemented on the ground. A literature review allowed us to identify integrated decision-support frameworks for climate-change adaptation in agriculture developed and used over the period of the last 10 years and involving non-academic stakeholders. To analyse them, we chose as an assessment tool the four co-production principles proposed by Norström and colleagues: context-based, pluralistic, goal-oriented and interactive. The useful entry points for incorporating co-production in the design of decision-support that we found in the reviewed frameworks include among the others adequate participants selection strategy, building on existing interaction spaces, developing a theory of change with the participants, and involving participants in the design of different elements of the method. The architectures of the analyzed frameworks contained more elements that responded to pluralistic and interactive principles than to context-based and goal oriented principles, we have also identified gaps in the design, such as taking into account the personal characteristics of researchers that could strengthen a framework's implementation and its impact, or attempts at bridging different levels of decision making, to cover the triad of science, policy and practice. A detailed look at the decision-frameworks that are actually being applied allows for a critical reflection whether and how we as researchers use what we preach as an effective way of responding to sustainability challenges in agriculture. Co-production principles turn out to be a useful tool for analysis and we suggest they can be used as a check-list when designing decision-support frameworks for climate-change adaptation. This papers offers useful examples of how to shift the research-led processes of decision-support towards more co-production with non-academic actors, to increase chances of bridging the gaps between science, policy and practice. [Display omitted] • Knowledge co-production is largely suggested as the best practice to bridge the gaps between science, policy and practice. • Evidence is lacking for the actual use of co-production in decision-support for climate-change adaptation in agriculture. • We identify useful entry points for applying co-production principles from already used decision-support frameworks. • Researchers are rarely selected to build decision-support frameworks based on their ability to support co-production. • When designing decision-support frameworks co-production principles can be used as a guiding tool. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]
- Published
- 2023
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- View/download PDF
242. Sustainable intensification of sorghum-based cropping systems in semi-arid sub-Saharan Africa: The role of improved varieties, mineral fertilizer, and legume integration.
- Author
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Traore, Amadou, Falconnier, Gatien N., Couëdel, Antoine, Sultan, Benjamin, Chimonyo, Vimbayi G.P., Adam, Myriam, and Affholder, François
- Subjects
- *
CROPPING systems , *SORGHUM , *INTERCROPPING , *COWPEA , *AGRICULTURAL intensification , *AGRICULTURAL productivity , *CATCH crops , *CROP diversification , *FERTILIZERS - Abstract
Sustainable intensification of cereal cropping systems can contribute to reducing food insecurity while mitigating biodiversity losses thanks to land sparing. Yet, intensifying crop production with more nutrient inputs often increases sensitivity to climate hazards and yields inter-annual variability. How different options for sustainable intensification interact and how they could help achieve greater and less variable yields is not well known for key cereal cropping systems of sub-Saharan Africa. Here, we aim to assess the impact on productivity and its interannual variation of three contrasted strategies of crop intensification, namely i) the integration of cowpea intercropped with sorghum or as sole crop, ii) improved varieties with high harvest index and greater nitrogen use efficiency, and iii) the use of more mineral fertilizer. We did this assessment using a calibrated soil-crop model for a case study of sorghum-based cropping systems of semi-arid southern Mali, using a historical weather series from 1980 to 2010. We found that the incremental combinations of two or three strategies helped increase productivity in terms of energy and protein. However, greater productivity went hand in hand with greater inter-annual variability. Intercropping sorghum with cowpea helped to reduce the inter-annual variability of productivity, but only when mineral fertilizer was not added. With mineral fertilizer input, sorghum contributed the largest share of the intercrop productivity, and sorghum yield was more variable from a year to another than cowpea yield. The overall productivity of intercropping sorghum with cowpea was always greater than having the two sole crops on separate plots. This was possible thanks to the facilitation of light, water and N acquisition by the two crops in the intercropping, regardless of the specificities of the growing season with regard to water and nitrogen stress. However, the variability of productivity was smaller for the cultivation of the two sole crops on separate plots, regardless of fertilizer input. The often-claimed benefit of intercropping on reducing the inter-annual variability of production does not hold when the three strategies are combined. Our results suggest that the integration of legumes does not help cushion farmers against the risk related to the intensification of cropping systems with more nutrients and improved seeds. Careful gross margin analysis that accounts for price variability and uncertainty would be required to refine this risk assessment for specific farm contexts. We discuss the implication of these findings in light of the current research agenda for the sustainable intensification of cropping systems in sub-Saharan Africa. • We explored the impact of climate variability on legume diversification using a crop model. • The case study is land-constrained and semi-arid southern Mali. • Improved variety and mineral fertilizer contribute to increase variability of productivity. • Intercropping help decrease variability of productivity, but only without fertilizer input. • Integrating a sole legume stabilizes productivity, but with smaller gains than intercropping. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]
- Published
- 2023
- Full Text
- View/download PDF
243. Future productivity and phenology changes in European grasslands for different warming levels: implications for grassland management and carbon balance.
- Author
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Chang, Jinfeng, Ciais, Philippe, Viovy, Nicolas, Soussana, Jean-François, Klumpp, Katja, and Sultan, Benjamin
- Subjects
- *
EFFECT of global warming on animals , *GRASSLAND management , *CLIMATE change , *LIVESTOCK productivity , *DROUGHTS , *GLOBAL warming & the environment , *ATMOSPHERIC models - Abstract
Background: Europe has warmed more than the global average (land and ocean) since pre-industrial times, and is also projected to continue to warm faster than the global average in the twenty-first century. According to the climate models ensemble projections for various climate scenarios, annual mean temperature of Europe for 2071-2100 is predicted to be 1-5.5 °C higher than that for 1971-2000. Climate change and elevated CO concentration are anticipated to affect grassland management and livestock production in Europe. However, there has been little work done to quantify the European-wide response of grassland to future climate change. Here we applied ORCHIDEE-GM v2.2, a grid-based model for managed grassland, over European grassland to estimate the impacts of future global change. Results: Increases in grassland productivity are simulated in response to future global change, which are mainly attributed to the simulated fertilization effect of rising CO. The results show significant phenology shifts, in particular an earlier winter-spring onset of grass growth over Europe. A longer growing season is projected over southern and southeastern Europe. In other regions, summer drought causes an earlier end to the growing season, overall reducing growing season length. Future global change allows an increase of management intensity with higher than current potential annual grass forage yield, grazing capacity and livestock density, and a shift in seasonal grazing capacity. We found a continual grassland soil carbon sink in Mediterranean, Alpine, North eastern, South eastern and Eastern regions under specific warming level (SWL) of 1.5 and 2 °C relative to pre-industrial climate. However, this carbon sink is found to saturate, and gradually turn to a carbon source at warming level reaching 3.5 °C. Conclusions: This study provides a European-wide assessment of the future changes in productivity and phenology of grassland, and their consequences for the management intensity and the carbon balance. The simulated productivity increase in response to future global change enables an intensification of grassland management over Europe. However, the simulated increase in the interannual variability of grassland productivity over some regions may reduce the farmers' ability to take advantage of the increased long-term mean productivity in the face of more frequent, and more severe drops of productivity in the future. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]
- Published
- 2017
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244. Modeling sorghum-cowpea intercropping for a site in the savannah zone of Mali: Strengths and weaknesses of the Stics model.
- Author
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Traoré, Amadou, Falconnier, Gatien N., Ba, Alassane, Sissoko, Fagaye, Sultan, Benjamin, and Affholder, François
- Subjects
- *
SORGHUM , *COWPEA , *CROPPING systems , *CATCH crops , *INTERCROPPING , *LEAF area index , *TROPICAL conditions - Abstract
Intercropping is a key entry point for sustainable intensification of cropping systems in sub-Saharan Africa where variable rainfall conditions prevail. Crop simulation models can complement field experiments to assess the agronomic and environmental performances of intercropping systems under diverse climatic conditions, including hypothetical future climate. So far, crop models that can handle intercropping, such as STICS, have not often been extensively evaluated for tropical conditions and for species grown by farmers in sub-Saharan Africa. The objective of this study was to evaluate the performance of the calibrated STICS model to simulate sorghum-cowpea intercropping systems in rainfed conditions in West Africa. We used data from field experiments conducted at the N'Tarla Agronomic Station in Mali in 2017 and 2018. Two varieties of sorghum (local and improved) with contrasting photoperiod sensitivities were grown as sole crop and intercropped with cowpea, with additive design. Two sowing dates and two levels of mineral fertilization were also investigated. Model simulations were evaluated with observed data for phenology, leaf area index (LAI), aboveground biomass, grain yield and in-season soil moisture. Large variations in aboveground biomass of sorghum and cowpea was observed in the experiment (i.e. 3.5 – 9.6 t/ha for sorghum and 0.4–2.5 t/ha for cowpea), owing to the treatments (i.e. sole vs intercrop, early vs late sowing, no fertilizer input vs fertilizer input). Such variations were satisfactorily reproduced by the model, with EF of 0.81 in calibration and 0.58 in evaluation (with relative rRMSE of 23 % and 43 %) across crops. Sorghum AGB simulations were more accurate (rRMSE of 21 % and EF of 0.54) than cowpea AGB simulations (rRMSE of 25 % and EF of −0.09). The two main observed features of the intercropping system were well reproduced by the model. Firstly, cowpea and sorghum aboveground biomass decreased with intercropping compared with sole cropping, and the decrease in cowpea biomass was greater than the decrease in sorghum biomass. Secondly, despite a reduction in sorghum and cowpea yield, Land Equivalent Ratio of the intercropping for aboveground biomass was always above one. With regard to grain yield, observed LER was above one only in the non-fertilized treatment. The model failed at reproducing this behavior, probably because of insufficiently accurate calibration of the process leading to grain yield formation: rRMSE for grain yield was 49 % in calibration and 41 % in evaluation. Based on these findings, we discuss avenues to improve model calibration and use the model to explore options for sustainable intensification in land constrained sub-Saharan Africa. • Accurate STICS simulations of intercropped sorghum and cowpea aboveground biomass. • Inaccurate STICS simulations of intercropped sorghum and cowpea grain yield. • The model can be used to start exploring inter-annual performance of intercropping. • Experiments looking at N dynamics in intercropping needed to refine calibration. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]
- Published
- 2022
- Full Text
- View/download PDF
245. Partie 2. L’aménagement des zones inondables dans un contexte de changement climatique
- Author
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Sultan, Benjamin, Bossa, Aymar Yaovi, Salack, Seyni, and Sanon, Moussa
- Subjects
alimentation ,climatologie ,Economics ,Environmental Studies ,Afrique de l’Ouest ,risques ,écologie ,agronomie ,ressources ,changements climatiques ,BUS072000 ,RNU ,eau ,agriculture ,développement - Published
- 2020
246. Partie 1. L’information agroclimatique pour l’aide à la décision
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Sultan, Benjamin, Bossa, Aymar Yaovi, Salack, Seyni, and Sanon, Moussa
- Subjects
alimentation ,climatologie ,Economics ,Environmental Studies ,Afrique de l’Ouest ,risques ,écologie ,agronomie ,ressources ,changements climatiques ,BUS072000 ,RNU ,eau ,agriculture ,développement - Published
- 2020
247. Partie 3. Les pratiques agroécologiques pour lutter contre le changement climatique
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Sultan, Benjamin, Bossa, Aymar Yaovi, Salack, Seyni, and Sanon, Moussa
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alimentation ,climatologie ,Economics ,Environmental Studies ,Afrique de l’Ouest ,risques ,écologie ,agronomie ,ressources ,changements climatiques ,BUS072000 ,RNU ,eau ,agriculture ,développement - Published
- 2020
248. Chapter 14. International climate negotiations and their incidences
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Janicot, Serge, Aubertin, Catherine, Bernoux, Martial, Dounias, Edmond, Guégan, Jean-François, Lebel, Thierry, Mazurek, Hubert, and Sultan, Benjamin
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changement climatique ,climatologie ,mousson ,Economics ,hydrologie ,résilience ,océanographie ,Pays du Sud ,politiques environnementales ,BUS072000 ,RNU ,vulnérabilités ,glaciers ,inondations - Abstract
The United Nations Summit on Climate Change, September 2009, UN Headquarters, New York. To solve the problem of climate change, international negotiations were first focused in priority on the ‘mitigation’ of warming through the setting up of market instruments to limit global greenhouse gas emissions. This framework has shown its limits as more than 20 years after the coming into force of the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC), emissions have neve...
- Published
- 2020
249. Chapter 8. Oceans: marine ecosystems and warming
- Author
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Janicot, Serge, Aubertin, Catherine, Bernoux, Martial, Dounias, Edmond, Guégan, Jean-François, Lebel, Thierry, Mazurek, Hubert, and Sultan, Benjamin
- Subjects
changement climatique ,climatologie ,mousson ,Economics ,hydrologie ,résilience ,océanographie ,Pays du Sud ,politiques environnementales ,BUS072000 ,RNU ,vulnérabilités ,glaciers ,inondations - Abstract
Gorgonians and shoals of fish in West Papua, Indonesia. The oceans are at the heart of the globe’s climate machine and are strongly hit by climate change. Numerous effects are observed today in the ocean environment: changes of water temperature and oxygen levels, acidification, rise in sea level, etc. These physical and biogeochemical changes and, to a lesser degree, extreme events, affect conditions of life in the oceans. The geographical distribution of species and the dyn...
- Published
- 2020
250. Chapter 3. Using monitoring facilities to detect climate anomalies
- Author
-
Janicot, Serge, Aubertin, Catherine, Bernoux, Martial, Dounias, Edmond, Guégan, Jean-François, Lebel, Thierry, Mazurek, Hubert, and Sultan, Benjamin
- Subjects
changement climatique ,climatologie ,mousson ,Economics ,hydrologie ,résilience ,océanographie ,Pays du Sud ,politiques environnementales ,BUS072000 ,RNU ,vulnérabilités ,glaciers ,inondations - Abstract
The Orinoco (Venezuela). August 2006 flood. HYBAM observation system. The study of climate change consists of detecting any significant climatic anomaly and then assigning possible anthropic or natural causes. This requires the ability to observe (in order to detect) and then understand (assigning a cause) to finally forecast the evolution of the print of climate change on the environment and societies. Monitoring the evolution of our climate and more generally of our environ...
- Published
- 2020
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