Rehabilitation of a semiarid ecosystem in Senegal. 1 Experiments at the hillside scale

The object of the study, carried out from 1983 to 1993, was to give evidence of the actual effects, in terms of hydrology and agronomy, of conservation measures set-up in a small cultivated watershed (60 ha). The measures included live-hedges, stone bunds and improved cropping practices. The hydrological survey, based upon the paired watershed technique, gives evidence of land conservation, rather than land restoration. The efficiency of the hedges is mainly due to the favourable planting conditions. The proposed cropping practices were adopted by farmers to varying degrees and an increasing number of farmers and village communities are asking for technical assistance