Access to Food, Dry Season Strategies and Household Size amongst the Bambara of Central Mali

The Bambara village of Kala lies on the northern frontier for regular crop production in Mali (see Map). With a long term mean rainfall of 600 mm per year, this region forms part of the southern Sahelian zone. Rainfall is concentrated in the three months from July to September and intensive work in the fields must be done during this short period to ensure a harvest. Rainfall is highly variable in its distribution within the year, between neighbouring villages in a given year and from one year to the next. Expected rainfall levels have been falling over the last 20 years; levels ranged from 350-450 mm per year over the period 1980-83 before falling to the exceptionally low total of 250 mm in the drought year of 1984.