Abstract
Local initiatives of hardé soils rehabilitation in Maroua region have been analyzed. Fieldwork consisted of conducting observations and surveys beside farmers in two study sites, Mizileng and Zokok. Investigations on perception of land degradation signs by farmers show that appearance of encrusted surfaces and loss of vegetation cover are signs more expressed in both study sites. Causes expressed include acceleration of water and wind erosion processes, excessive falling of trees, inappropriate farming techniques and climatic hazards. The main consequences are declining of crop yields, lack of farming land and loss natural pastures. Rehabilitation actions undertaken by local communities surveyed include earth dikes, tillage including cart or hoe ploughing, application of organic matter, integrating farming techniques such as fallowing, association and rotation of crop, and lastly, parking of animals on plots to be rehabilitated. Populations assert in their majority perceive in six months to three years signs of real change on planning plots. Constraints to those rehabilitation actions include material requirements that are mostly not available or accessible to farmers in the study area and access to land. Globally, there is no integration of local knowledge in the implementation of projects and consequences are localized and ephemeral efficiency, but also not conclusive results. Implementation of an innovation in rural areas must take into account the factors of ownership and inscribe in a well-defined trajectory. This trajectory must be dynamic and reflexive where local knowledge will cope with expert knowledge to ensure impact and sustainability of innovation.
Highlights
Sub-Saharan Africa region, especially the Sahel area, experienced a constantly growing degradation of its environmental characteristics since several decades
The results of the study revealed that tillage, supply of organic manure, establishment of earth dikes, parking of animals, integration of farming techniques are the main techniques used by local people
The results of the fieldwork showed that rural populations of Mizileng and Zokok have a good knowledge of signs of land degradation
Summary
Sub-Saharan Africa region, especially the Sahel area, experienced a constantly growing degradation of its environmental characteristics since several decades. This degradation is characterized by the deterioration of the major components of the ecosystems such as soil, vegetation and water [1,2,3]. In the Far North region of Cameroon, it results in the appearance and expansion of bare and crusted spaces unable to sustain agricultural and pastoral activities [5] These degraded lands, widespread throughout Sub-Saharan Africa region in general, are known as hardé in the Far North region of Cameroon [68], a term borrowed from Fulfulde language of the Maroua region, equivalent to naga in Chad and zippelé in Burkina Faso. Around 13% of the total land area in the OPEN ACCESS
Sign-in/Register to view highlights & summary Sign-in/Register to access full text options 
Free) 
Talk to us
Join us for a 30 min session where you can share your feedback and ask us any queries you have
Schedule a call
