West Africa-relating land use to climate change

This topic submitted by Virginia ( simpsovj@yahoo.com ) on 2/22/00 .

Hello fellow climate-questioners,

I would like to research the relationship of human land cultivation and climate change in West Afric, Sahel region.

Questions that arrise:
1. where is the drastic climate change of the recent years coming from?--historical precedent?
2. where is climate change heading towards?
3. is there being irreparable damage done?
4. how will this affect sustainable food production?

My simple theory is that there is a correlation between the recent devestating droughts in the region, to land use although this may certainly be compounded by global trends like warming, and that this is a permanent change (or at least very slowly reversible).

Current source list:
Rasmusson, RM. Global Climate Change and variability: effects on drought and desertification in Africa

Voortman, R. Recent Historical Climate Change and Its Effects on Land Use in Eastern Part of W. Afric.

Parry, Martin. Climate Change and World Food Security; a new assesment.

Downing, Thomas. Adapting to Climate Change in Africa.

Savenije, HHG. New Definitions of Moisture Recycling and the Relation with Land Use Changes in the Sahel.

Any thoughts, questions or helpful ideas are great!
Thanks. Virginia

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