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