Wind Erosion in the Interior Delta of the Niger in Mali

Because of its azonal hydrological run-off regime, the inland delta of the Niger (Figure 1) occupies a special place in the semiarid region on the southern edge of the Sahara. The ecosystems there are marked by a periodic rhythm of flooding followed by recession of the floodwater, accompanied by partial drying out of the delta area (Figure 3). This hydrologic cycle and the relatively favorable soils of high clay content with a humic topsoil make the large-scale cultivation of rice feasible. In fact, at present, a number of projects are underway, planning 32,000 hectares of rice fields in the eastern part of the delta alone. Altogether the present area under rice cultivation in the delta is about 100,000 hectares and it is intended to double by 1985.