摘要：The Sudano-Sahelian zone of West Africa has experienced recurrent droughts since themid-1970s and today there is considerable concern for how this region will be able to adapt to future climatechange. To develop well targeted adaptation strategies, the relative importance of climate factors as driversof land use and livelihood change need to be better understood. Based on the perceptions of 1249 householdsin five countries across an annual rainfall gradient of 400-900 mm, we provide an estimate of the relativeweight of climate factors as drivers of changes in rural households during the past 20 years. Climate factors,mainly inadequate rainfall, are perceived by 30-50% of households to be a cause of decreasing rainfed cropproduction, whereas a wide range of other factors explains the remaining 50-70%. Climate factors are muchless important for decreasing livestock production and pasture areas. Increases in pasture are also observedand caused by improved tenure in the driest zone. Adaptation strategies to declining crop production include'prayer' and migration in the 400-500 mm zone; reforestation, migration, and government support in the500-700 mm zone; and soil improvement in the 700-900 mm zone. Declining livestock holdings arecountered by improved fodder resources and veterinary services. It is concluded that although rainfed cropproduction is mainly constrained by climate factors, livestock and pasture are less climate sensitive in allrainfall zones. This needs to be reflected in national adaptation strategies in the region
关键词：adaptation; climate variability; livestock; rainfed crops; West Africa
