Geoscience Reference
In-Depth Information
escape the effects of drought, scientists in the African Sahel
have developed early-maturing cowpea cultivars with different
phenological characteristics. For example, to avoid the effects
of late-season drought, they have developed cowpea varieties
(
Ein El Gazal
and
Melakh
) that mature between 55 and 64 days
after planting (Elawad and Hall, 2002). Similarly, to avoid mid-
season drought, scientists have also developed a cowpea variety
(
Mouride
) that matures between 70 and 75 days after planting
(Cisse et al., 1997). Unlike
Ein El Gazal
and
Melakh
, which
begin flowering between 30 and 35 days from sowing and have
synchronous flowering characteristics, the
Mouride
variety
starts flowering in about 38 days after planting and spreads out
over an extended period of time, thereby escaping the mid-sea-
son drought. To enhance the chances of significant grain pro-
duction, agriculturists in this region have developed cropping
techniques where both types of cowpea (short and medium
maturing) are planted together so that variable climatic input is
optimised (Hall, 2004). Management of climatic risks is a criti-
cal aspect of economic survival. Farmers are understandably
risk averse in their adoption of new technology. An interesting
example is seen in the adoption of canola in southern Australia
where Sadras et al. (2003) offer an analysis of a dynamic crop-
ping strategy based on a putative association between start-of-
season rain (April and May) and total seasonal rainfall. The
study shows the advantage of long-term income when switch-
ing from a cereal-only strategy in a year of low rainfall to a
more risky strategy of canola and cereal-based cropping sys-
tems in a year of high rainfall.
Yet, notwithstanding this recognition, there is a dearth of
research that unravels the role of climate as a stimulus for
innovation of appropriate technologies (Ausubel, 1995; Ruttan,
1996; NRC, 1999; Smithers and Blay-Palmer, 2001). Little is
known about the manner in which technology has altered the
relationship between climate and crop production and the roles
that climate has played in the development of the new innova-
tions. This research is a response to the challenge of developing
a conceptual model that can be used as a basis for understand-
ing agricultural adaptation to future climate change. More spe-
cifically, by using the hypothesis of induced innovation, this
research extends the boundaries of climate change research
to take into consideration the environmental inducements of
technology in developing countries. It is an important area of
investigation for at least three reasons. First, a productive and
sustainable agricultural system is necessary for providing food
security to an ever-growing population of developing countries.
