Inland Valleys: Africa’s Future Food Baskets

276 (eds M.C.S. Wopereis et al.) regimes ranging from 1100 mm to 1400 mm per year, while convex inland valleys (Fig. 22.3c) are formed under the high-rainfall regimes of 1400 mm and above, typical of the equatorial forest zone. With an estimated land area of 190 Mha,1 inland valleys are common landscapes serving a multitude of ecosystem functions in many parts of Africa. In general, wetland environments and particularly valley bottoms – commonly referred to as bas-fonds, fadamas and inland swamps in West Africa; mbuga in East Africa, and vleis, dambos, mapani, matoro, inuta or amaxhaphozi in Southern Africa (Acres et al., 1985) – generally have high agricultural production potential (Andriesse et al., 1994), although the only major crop that can be grown under the temporary flooded conditions in these ecosystems is rice (e.g. Andriesse and Fresco, 1991). The development of inland valleys for rice production can be accomplished with relatively small-scale technologies that require moderate investments (Roberts, 1988). Thus, inland valleys are strategically important for realizing Africa’s rice promise (e.g. Sakurai, 2006; e.g. Balasubramanian et al., 2007). Wetlands, including inland valleys, are particularly important assets for the rural poor as they can fulfil many crucial services Introduction