The potential of Acacia albida for desertification control and increased productivity in Chad

Reforestation using Acacia albida has been preposed as a mechanismsfor combating desertification trends in the Sahel. This tree is characterised by a deciduous habit in the wet season; it is valuable for fodder, as a hardwood in woodwork industries, and for enhancing soil fertility of cropland. In a three-year project described in this paper, the establishment of Acacia albida platations in cultivated field in central Chad is conceived as a focal point to coordinate resource conservation and land development programmes. Several hundred thousand young trees were established and about 2500 farmers and their families participated in the revegetation programme. The success of the project must be evaluated, however, in terms of the prospects for long-term benefit and recognising the sociological problems of assistance programmes.