use, New land is commonly cleared by the slash and burn method, and such fires frequently
spread beyond the immediate area of interest. What woodland remains is extensively exploited
for firewood. There are now few large trees, and the opening up of the canopy increases wind
speeds and leads to increased dessication (Agyepong et al., 1984).
TABLE 2, CROP CALENDAR, SELECTED CROPS, BAKOLORI IRRIGATION AREA
Crop
Cowpea (alone)
Groundnut (alone)
Groundnut/Millet
Guinea Corn
Maize (wet season)
Millet (alone)
Millet/Cowpea
Rice
Soybeans
Summer vegetables *
. Summer fodders (inc. maize)
Chillies
Cotton
Barley
Maize (dry season)
Wheat
Winter vegetables =
Sweet potato
Maize (late dry season)
Summer fodders (inc. maize)
Growing
days
80— 100
110-150
110-150
110-120
100— 120
85— 95
80— 100
120-150
100-125
90-150
50-180
120-180
. 120-180
90-110
100-120
100-120
45-120
140-160
100-120
50— 90
Planting
Jun- Jul
May—Jun
May-Jun
May—Jun
Jun—Jul
May-Jun
May— Jun
May—Jun
Jun-— Jul
Jun-- Aug
Jul-Sep
Jul-Aug
. Jul- Aug
Nov—Dec
Oct—- Nov
Nov— Dec
Oct- Dec
Sep—Oct
Mar-Apr
Feb—- Apr
Harvest
Sep— Oct
Oct- Nov
Sep—Nov
Oct—Nov
Sep—Oct
Aug-Sept
Aug-Sept
Oct- Now
Oct—Nov
Oct- Nov
: Sep-Nov
Dec— Feb
Dec— Feb
Feb—Mar
Jan—Feb
Feb—Mar
Dec— Apr
Feb—Mar
Jun—Jul
Apr—Jul
* Including okro, egg plant, pumpkin, pepper, water melon.
# Including onion, potato, spinach, water melon, carrot, lettuce, cabbage, cauliflower, sweet .
pepper.
Source: Chaudry et al., 1983
The economy of the basin is dominated by subsistence agriculture, practised mainly by the
sedentary Hausa people, and herding, undertaken, by the nomadic Fulani. Cultivated land falls
into one of two broad categories. The first, known locally as fadama, is land which is seasonally
flooded. It is to be found primarily in the flood plains, although other pockets of it may be
found in depressions scattered over the higher ground. Fadama may be flooded for short periods
of only a few days, or for longer periods up to as much as three months. The duration of flood
is important in the selection of crops and crop varieties (Adams, 1986). Its greatest significance
is for the growing of dry season crops, although it may also be cultivated in the wet season
where it is suitable for swamp rice varieties, or where the duration and depth of flooding are not
excessive. Parts of this land may also be used for grazing. The second broad category of cultivated
land is known locally as tudu, which, by definition, is land which is not seasonally flooded,
although some depressions may in fact flood (such land may be refered to as fadama tudu).
Farming here is generally restricted to rain—ted agriculture in the wet season. The selection of
crops is markedly related to the timing and duration of rainfall ahd to the moisture—retention
capacity of the soils. Intercropping is a widespread traditional practice, although monocultures
are becoming more common with modernization. The agricultural calendar (Table 2), shows only
a few of the crop combinations which may te found.
37
Season
Wet
Wet
Wet
Wet
Wet
Wet
Wet
A = 6 ce
|=
ir
t et O