Sahel region of West Africa

Citation

(1999), "Sahel region of West Africa", Disaster Prevention and Management, Vol. 8 No. 1. https://doi.org/10.1108/dpm.1999.07308aag.037

Sahel region of West Africa

Sahel region of West Africa.

http://www.brunel.ac.uk/depts/geo/sahelrep.html

It is now 25 years since the major droughts of the 1970s struck the Sahel region of West Africa. Their impacts were not uniform, for the region has a great diversity of soils, climates, livelihood systems, and ethnic groups. For many, these droughts are an especially grim historical marker, given their disturbing effects on food supply and human welfare in this region so dependent on rainfall. They also marked the beginning of profound post-colonial economic and political reforms, as well as widespread international development assistance to the Sahelian nations. This site contains a summary of the presentations, discussion, and findings of a conference held by the Royal Geographical Society in London 13-14 May, 1998, entitled "The African Sahel: 25 Years After the Great Drought ­ Assessing Progress, Setting a New Agenda". The proceedings offer realistic assessments of the challenges facing Sahelian peoples in the twenty-first century.