116
In theory, perennial species could offer greater yield stability than annuals over
time series because crop establishment—which is based on an individual season’s
weather at the time of planting—is a ‘one-off’ event for perennials, after which
production can continue over a number of years. This is unlike the situation for
annual crops for which production depends on the right conditions for establishment in each new season (e.g. the right amount of rainfall, without drought or flood).
Conversely, many perennial crops have some degree of dependence on animal
Table 10.1 Ten eastern and southern African countries for extraction of FAOSTAT (2017)
production (yield and value) data for the 12 indicated crops for the time period 1961–2014. Half of
the crops chosen were annual and half perennial. Perennial crops were either orphan crops (AOCC
2018) or proxies. Where country reporting boundaries have changed within the assessed
time period, information was compiled within common notional boundaries. Crops with the least
stable production (yield) characteristics are listed (see text for further explanation)
Country
Annual (A) crops
Perennial (P) crops
Least stable
production
(yield) (1st, 2nd)
Ethiopia PDR (or
Ethiopia + Eritrea)
Chick peas, maize,
millet, sorghum
Coffee (green)
Sorghum, chick
peas
Kenya
Maize, millet, potatoes,
sorghum
Cashew nuts (with shell),
coffee (green), [Mangoes +
mangosteens + guavas]
a
,
oranges
Millet, sorghum
Malawi
Chick peas, groundnuts
(with shell), maize,
potatoes, sorghum
Coffee (green), [Mangoes +
mangosteens + guavas]
Sorghum, maize
Mozambique
Groundnuts (with shell),
maize, potatoes,
sorghum
Cashew nuts (with shell),
coconuts
Maize, sorghum
Somalia
Groundnuts (with shell),
maize, sorghum
Coconuts, dates, oranges
Sorghum, maize
Sudan (former) (or
Sudan + South
Sudan)
Chick peas, groundnuts
(with shell), millet,
potatoes, sorghum
Dates, oranges
Chick peas,
millet
Uganda
Chick peas, groundnuts
(with shell), maize,
millet, potatoes,
sorghum
Coffee (green)
Coffee (green),
chick peas
United Republic of
Tanzania
Chick peas, groundnuts
(with shell), maize,
millet, potatoes,
sorghum
Cashew nuts (with shell),
coconuts, coffee (green),
[Mangoes + mangosteens +
guavas]
Cashew nuts
(with shell),
maize
Zambia
Groundnuts (with shell),
maize, millet, potatoes,
sorghum
Oranges
Maize, sorghum
Zimbabwe
Groundnuts (with shell),
maize, millet, potatoes,
sorghum
Oranges
Maize, millet
a
[] Considered as a single crop in FAOSTAT
I. K. Dawson et al.
In theory, perennial species could offer greater yield stability than annuals over
time series because crop establishment—which is based on an individual season’s
weather at the time of planting—is a ‘one-off’ event for perennials, after which
production can continue over a number of years. This is unlike the situation for
annual crops for which production depends on the right conditions for establishment in each new season (e.g. the right amount of rainfall, without drought or flood).
Conversely, many perennial crops have some degree of dependence on animal
Table 10.1 Ten eastern and southern African countries for extraction of FAOSTAT (2017)
production (yield and value) data for the 12 indicated crops for the time period 1961–2014. Half of
the crops chosen were annual and half perennial. Perennial crops were either orphan crops (AOCC
2018) or proxies. Where country reporting boundaries have changed within the assessed
time period, information was compiled within common notional boundaries. Crops with the least
stable production (yield) characteristics are listed (see text for further explanation)
Country
Annual (A) crops
Perennial (P) crops
Least stable
production
(yield) (1st, 2nd)
Ethiopia PDR (or
Ethiopia + Eritrea)
Chick peas, maize,
millet, sorghum
Coffee (green)
Sorghum, chick
peas
Kenya
Maize, millet, potatoes,
sorghum
Cashew nuts (with shell),
coffee (green), [Mangoes +
mangosteens + guavas]
a
,
oranges
Millet, sorghum
Malawi
Chick peas, groundnuts
(with shell), maize,
potatoes, sorghum
Coffee (green), [Mangoes +
mangosteens + guavas]
Sorghum, maize
Mozambique
Groundnuts (with shell),
maize, potatoes,
sorghum
Cashew nuts (with shell),
coconuts
Maize, sorghum
Somalia
Groundnuts (with shell),
maize, sorghum
Coconuts, dates, oranges
Sorghum, maize
Sudan (former) (or
Sudan + South
Sudan)
Chick peas, groundnuts
(with shell), millet,
potatoes, sorghum
Dates, oranges
Chick peas,
millet
Uganda
Chick peas, groundnuts
(with shell), maize,
millet, potatoes,
sorghum
Coffee (green)
Coffee (green),
chick peas
United Republic of
Tanzania
Chick peas, groundnuts
(with shell), maize,
millet, potatoes,
sorghum
Cashew nuts (with shell),
coconuts, coffee (green),
[Mangoes + mangosteens +
guavas]
Cashew nuts
(with shell),
maize
Zambia
Groundnuts (with shell),
maize, millet, potatoes,
sorghum
Oranges
Maize, sorghum
Zimbabwe
Groundnuts (with shell),
maize, millet, potatoes,
sorghum
Oranges
Maize, millet
a
[] Considered as a single crop in FAOSTAT
I. K. Dawson et al.