Wanted dead or alive!

The demand for dead wood for fuel and to construct fences and livestock enclosures has contributed to widespread deforestation in the Sahel. To take the pressure off surviving vegetation, villagers in Burkina Faso have been encouraged and assisted to establish living fences. The species selected for planting as live fences contribute to farmers' well-being and income in several ways: by controlling livestock, damage to high value crops, including vegetables, is avoided and farmers can now benefit from the increasing demand for fresh produce in nearby towns. Four species have been selected, three of which are thorny and provide good barriers to animals: Acacia senegal, Ziziphus mauritania, Acacia nilotica and Bauhinia rufescens, the only one without thorns. A. senegal provides Gum Arabic and fodder and A. nilotica is used for tanning and medicinal purposes. Ziziphus mauritania yields fruits for consumption and sale, while the leaves of both Ziziphus and Bauhinia are used for animal fodder. To form an effective barrier the four species are planted in a continuous but staggered double row with 50cm between plants in the same row and 25cm between the rows. The outside row consists largely of A. nilotica, while the other three species are planted in equal numbers to form the inner row of plants. Productivity is said to have increased by an extra US$60-100 per season. In Burkina Faso the average annual income is less than US$300. The project, which is centred on the village of Konki Ipala (37km west of Ouagadougou) is a collaborative effort between the Institut de Recherche en Biologie et Ecologie Tropicale (IRBET) and the International Centre for Research in Agroforestry (ICRAF). Elias Ayuk ICRAF PO Box 30677 Nairobi KENYAThe demand for dead wood for fuel and to construct fences and livestock enclosures has contributed to widespread deforestation in the Sahel. To take the pressure off surviving vegetation, villagers in Burkina Faso have been encouraged and assisted..