Sahelian Droughts By Anthony E. Hall Summary

Sahelian Droughts by Anthony E. Hall is essentially a memoir recounting his personal journey as a scientist and professor. Specifically, it showcases his research in improving the food security of the Sahel region of sub Saharan Africa. The Sahel zone is adjacent to the Sahara Desert, so the agriculture is more susceptible to the limitations produced by droughts. The droughts became more extreme and major food crops were at stake. These dreadful droughts led to millions of people in hunger and an increase in death rates. Due to the global famine in the late 1960s, Hall discusses the Green Revolution, which is the marked increase of agricultural production to support high fruit yields. During the 1970s, Dr. Hall worked to create a solution for the declining productivity of this region and therefore designed an agronomic solution.

If this was the case, the new cowpea varieties could be adopted by the poorest farmers and produce several important benefits for them” (Hall 6). Alongside his African colleagues, Dr. Hall is determined to breed cowpeas that could withstand the intense droughts and also supply food for people and livestock. Throughout the book, Hall discusses various challenges he faces in his research and reveals multiple solutions such as irrigation and human migration. Beyond his scientific research, this book illuminates his personal experiences dealing with social and political aspects of food security in Africa and this gives insight to the various ways scientists improve their research in policy and what kind of developmental aid works in fragile regions such as the