Historical case studies of famines and migrations in the West African Sahel and their possible relevance now and in the future

Abstract Case studies of three famines that occurred in rural northwest Nigeria during the latter half of the twentieth century are presented. Research found that continuum models and entitlement theory did not adequately conceptualize famine-related migration, though they may be more accurate now and in the future. Projects examining the climate-migration nexus should consider the possibility that famines and large-scale migrations from the Sahel will occur as a consequence of both heavy, poorly timed rainfall and intense droughts. The savanna’s historical function as a refuge for stressed Sahelian people continued into the 1980s, but research is urgently needed to determine whether that is still true.
Source: Population and Environment - Category: Environmental Health Source Type: research