213
9
families with high status warriors (imoushar), some craftsmen (inhaden) and a large
majority of former slaves, called bella (or eklan). The bella make up the workforce
and are still loyal to the imoushar, who take all the decisions. The group controls two
large rice fields—one of 97 hectares and another of 248 hectares. For instance in
1997, only one of these two fields was cultivated. The other lay fallow because of
lack of labour to maintain the levees. However, imoushar in Banguel are powerful
and control a large number of bella. If rice cultivation was a priority for them, they
could have ensured enough labour for maintenance. But this would have meant sacrificing a relatively secure livestock production—based on herding—for a far more
uncertain agricultural production. Even though the technology and therefore the
cultivation system had been improved, through the intervention of the NCA, it was
still too risky for people to take the gamble. There was simply not enough labour
available in the area to keep livestock as well as to cultivate rice. Therefore, the
imoushar have continued to prioritize letting the bella herd animals in the vast grazing regions south of the Niger River (Pedersen and Benjaminsen 2008).
. Photo 9.1 Improved
floodgates on the Niger
river in northern Mali
funded by the Norwegian Church Aid.
(Photo: Norwegian
Church Aid)
Cotton, Food Crops and the Environment in Southern Mali
West Africa is the third most important cotton region in the world after the USA
and Uzbekistan, and Mali has long been a leader in the region’s cotton production.
The Malian cotton zone is situated in the south-eastern corner of the country
(. Fig. 9.1).
The parastatal cotton company Compagnie Malienne pour le Développement des
Textiles (CMDT) is a key organization in southern Mali. It is 60% owned by the
Malian state and 40% by the French multi-national company GéoCoton. CMDT
has a monopoly control over cotton production, processing and marketing in Mali.
The parastatal has also regional development as part of its mandate.
CMDT is involved in the whole production chain from research on new cotton
varieties, distribution of cotton seeds to the farmers, sale of chemical fertilizers and
9.1 · Population Growth and Agricultural Development in Africa
9
families with high status warriors (imoushar), some craftsmen (inhaden) and a large
majority of former slaves, called bella (or eklan). The bella make up the workforce
and are still loyal to the imoushar, who take all the decisions. The group controls two
large rice fields—one of 97 hectares and another of 248 hectares. For instance in
1997, only one of these two fields was cultivated. The other lay fallow because of
lack of labour to maintain the levees. However, imoushar in Banguel are powerful
and control a large number of bella. If rice cultivation was a priority for them, they
could have ensured enough labour for maintenance. But this would have meant sacrificing a relatively secure livestock production—based on herding—for a far more
uncertain agricultural production. Even though the technology and therefore the
cultivation system had been improved, through the intervention of the NCA, it was
still too risky for people to take the gamble. There was simply not enough labour
available in the area to keep livestock as well as to cultivate rice. Therefore, the
imoushar have continued to prioritize letting the bella herd animals in the vast grazing regions south of the Niger River (Pedersen and Benjaminsen 2008).
. Photo 9.1 Improved
floodgates on the Niger
river in northern Mali
funded by the Norwegian Church Aid.
(Photo: Norwegian
Church Aid)
Cotton, Food Crops and the Environment in Southern Mali
West Africa is the third most important cotton region in the world after the USA
and Uzbekistan, and Mali has long been a leader in the region’s cotton production.
The Malian cotton zone is situated in the south-eastern corner of the country
(. Fig. 9.1).
The parastatal cotton company Compagnie Malienne pour le Développement des
Textiles (CMDT) is a key organization in southern Mali. It is 60% owned by the
Malian state and 40% by the French multi-national company GéoCoton. CMDT
has a monopoly control over cotton production, processing and marketing in Mali.
The parastatal has also regional development as part of its mandate.
CMDT is involved in the whole production chain from research on new cotton
varieties, distribution of cotton seeds to the farmers, sale of chemical fertilizers and
9.1 · Population Growth and Agricultural Development in Africa