| Co-Investigator(Kenkyū-buntansha) |
TANAKA Ueru Graduate School of Agriculture, KYOTO UNIVERSITY, Associate Professor, 農学研究科, 助教授 (10231408)
FURUKAWA Hisao Graduate School of Asian and African Area Studies, KYOTO UNIVERSITY, Professor, アジア・アフリカ地域研究研究科, 教授 (00026410)
TAKAYA Yoshikazu University of Shiga Prefecture School of Human Cultures, 人間文化学部, 教授 (90027582)
MIURA Reiichi Graduate School of Agriculture, KYOTO UNIVERSITY, Instructor, 農学研究科, 助手 (60229648)
TSUKIHARA Toshihiro Osaka City University, Faculty of Literature, Lecturer, 文学部, 講師 (10254377)
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| Research Abstract |
1) Ohji, the head of this research project, previously claimed that the excessive use of European moldboard plow might be a cause of soil deterioration which was becoming prominent in semi-arid areas of West Africa. This hypothesis was substantiated through the analysis of dynamics of soil particle distribution.
2) A comprehensive analysis of millet- based agriculture in Deccan, India, lead to a reversal of a long accepted view that the agriculture in this area is a backward, extensive one that is imposed by adverse climatic and soil conditions. The Deccan agriculture was characterized by a logical land use system, a diversity of implements, sophisticated techniques and, as a result, a high capacity of population maintenance.
3) Based on the above knowledge, a scheme for the technology transfer from India to West Africa was designed. The core of the scheme should be the use of harrows in place of ploughs.
4) A characteristic feature of the indigenous agriculture of Deccan is that traction power, soil fertility maintenance, human nutrition as well as local economy are tightly interlocked with each other with cattle being the mediator. Its self-complete nature suggests that a transfer of a single useful element among them might be difficult. Mean while, the Deccan system itself was shown to be changing under the influence of urban economy.
5) It was suggested through comparison of various farming systems in Africa that a type with a peculiar weeding spade has a different origin from others with weeding hoes. An important feature of this type of farming, named the Sahelian-type, is its orientation towards soil conservation. However left to be studied is how does it work and how can it be applied for soil conservation in other areas.
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