International Symposium on
Drylands Ecology and Human Security

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Traditional Strategies of Management of Water and Soil Fertility at Mokolo, Mandara Mountains, Northern Cameroon

Michel Tchotsoua1 & Jean Marie Fotsing2

1Department of Geography, University of Ngaoundéré, Ngaoundéré, Cameroon
e-mail:
tchotsoua@yahoo.fr

2 Department of Geography, University of Orleans, France
e-mail:
Jean-Marie.Fotsing@orleans.ird.fr
 

Abstract

Located between 10° and 11 °N, 13° 40 and 14° E, the Mandara Mountains, are a context of highly populated and drylands. They dominate the plains of Northern Cameroon by almost 500 meters.
In this context of very old and continuous occupation, rural populations knew to set up effective traditional, techniques to protect the soils of slopes against erosion and to maintain subsistence agriculture.

In this paper, the authors appreciate the effectiveness and the current evolution of those traditional strategies of management of water and soil from field investigations and observations around Mokolo city. This paper lies within the scope of a general evaluation of the strategies of fighting against erosion in sudano-sahelian zone of Chad and Cameroon granted by the AUF Erosion Network.

Keywords: Erosion, Soil fertility, traditional Strategies, Mandara Mountains