DryLandsResearch.org.uk
Title
Welcome to Drylands Research
Description
After many years of research on agricultural policy and management issues, Michael Mortimore and Mary Tiffen set up the Drylands Research partnership in 1998, to carry out work on long term change and policy issues in dryland management in African countries. Their long term study of Machakos District, Kenya, 1930-60, carried out by the Overseas Development Institute (ODI) had led to a book (Mary Tiffen, Michael Mortimore and Francis Gichuki, More people, less erosion: environmental recovery in Kenya, John Wiley, 1994), which was a synthesis and interpretation of the physical and social development path in Machakos. The book generated a set of hypotheses and policy recommendations which Drylands Research have now tested and elaborated in four other African dryland environments.
Michael Mortimore is a geographer who taught and researched at Ahmadu Bello University, Zaria, Nigeria between 1962 and 1979, and was Professor of Geography at Bayero University, Kano from 1979 to 1986. Subsequently he carried out research studies as a Senior Research Associate in the Department of Geography, Cambridge University, the Overseas Development Institute and as an Honorary Fellow of the Centre of West African Studies, University of Birmingham. His research and publications have focused on environmental management by smallholders in the drylands of Africa. He is continuing work in this field and can be contacted at: mikemortimore@compuserve.com
Mary Tiffen Tiffen is a historian and socio-economist who began her career at Ahmadu Bello University, Nigeria, with a study of economic growth in Gombe Emirate. This led to her PhD at the London School of Economics and a book. Consultancy in the Middle East on irrigated agriculture led to an appointment at the Overseas Development Institute, 1983-94, as a Research Fellow in charge of its Irrigation Management Network. She developed annual special issues on African irrigation. She later chaired its Agricultural Administration Unit. From 1990-94 Dr Tiffen was mainly engaged in the multi-disciplinary study of Machakos District, Kenya. She has published many articles on irrigation, soil conservation and agricultural development. Her recent articles take a broader look at long term processes of economic and social change in Africa. She is now available in an advisory role only and can be contacted at mary@tiffen16.demon.co.uk
