The research projects
Geodynamics of mineral resources in West Africa
January 2006
Mineral resources account for more than 50% of exports from the 19 West African countries involved in the Agremoa programme. They play a crucial role in the region’s development. The IRD and its partners are working to improve understanding of the geological structure and geodynamics of the West ...
Improving rice growing in Africa
January 1996
Rice, the first cereal humans ever cultivated, is a vital resource for many Southern countries. In Africa, rice yellow mottle virus is a major problem, causing considerable damage and heavy losses at harvest. Prophylactic measures have been employed to limit the spread of the disease, but the ...
Saharan migration: the truth a far cry from popular myths
January 2004
Migration from sub-Saharan Africa to North Africa has increased as never before over the past 15 years or so. What routes are the migrants following and how are they settling in North Africa? What social and spatial changes are these new settlement patterns generating? What effects are today’s ...
Synergy between insecticide and repellent to combat malaria-carrying mosquitoes
January 2007
With 40% of the world’s population, mainly in the poorest countries, exposed to malaria risk and over 500 million people falling ill with the disease each year, it is still the most worrying tropical parasite disease. Most deaths from malaria occur in sub-Saharan Africa and most of those who die ...
To halt land degradation in sub-Saharan Africa
January 2003
The IRD is closely involved in the Desert Margins Programme, whose aim is to halt land degradation in sub-Saharan Africa and open the way to sustainable farming there. The programme is supported by the United National Environment Programme and the World Environment Fund. More than 120 million ...
