3 Public Policy and Drought Management in Agropastoral Systems
نویسنده
چکیده
Agropastoral farming systems are well suited to drought-prone areas with low rainfall, where, despite harsh conditions, these systems have provided reasonable sustenance to pastoral societies for generations. Unfortunately, the levels of wealth accumulated in these societies is inadequate for providing full protection from severe droughts, and the economic and human losses in drought periods can be severe. The problem has worsened with population growth, as more and more people seek to earn a livelihood from the meager resources available in these areas. It may also have been aggravated by more frequent and prolonged droughts associated with global warming. The high cost and the increasing vulnerability of agropastoral societies has led many governments and donors to intervene with various forms of drought assistance. Types and levels of intervention that were unheard of until recently are now common, and seem to be increasing. Many of these interventions are encouraging farming practices that increase both the extent of future drought losses and the dependence of local people on government assistance. They are also costly to governments and donors, and use resources that could otherwise be spent for development purposes. It is important to know if the net benefits from existing types of drought-relief programs justify their costs, particularly when their longer-term impacts on poverty and the environment are assessed. It is also important to know if drought-relief programs can be designed better to achieve their immediate objectives but without distorting economic incentives in inappropriate ways. This chapter addresses these issues.
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