ABSTRACT
The majority of farmers in West Africa have small land holdings and under low yield conditions produce subsistence crops to satisfy family needs. Cropped land per capita ranges from as low as 0.1 hectare in Cape Verde to 3.2 hectares in Niger. Operational holdings per household in general are small with about one hectare (2.47 acres) of land per person in the household, and in some cases in some years family farms do not produce enough to meet the household's needs. The main cereals produced and consumed by small-farm families are millet, sorghum, and corn which together account for over 70 percent of the total area devoted to cereals. Agro-economic indicators for countries in West Africa and a select group of countries in semi-arid regions of Africa are presented in Tables 5.1 and 5.2. These countries have drawn considerable attention lately from the international community, donor countries and international organizations alike.
