Dr. Sani Ibrahim, Niger

1. Please describe your (scientific) work/research in a short way.

I am actually teaching geosciences (geomorphology and applied hydrologie) at the Abdou Moumouni University of Niamey-Niger. I am scientifically involved in past climate and landscapes reconstruction. My research interest and field are focused on new geomorphological processes, landscapes and ecological modifications occurring in dry lands, particularly in Sahelian and Saharian zone (Niger). This, in order to understand fundamental and functional relationships and impacts of climate change on soils, biodiversity and water resources in a context of high population pressure on natural resources. Besides, my scientific commitment is to find out sustainable and innovative solutions to struggle land degradation combined with biodiversity loss and also to enhance sahelian farmers and breeders resilience to negatives climate chance corollaries. I am also interested and working too, on past climate and lanscapes reconstruction by investigating microscopic and macroscopic characteristics of soils and sediments and other proxy data that are considered as natural high resolution archives.

2. Which aspect of a sustainable life, work and research is especially relevant for you and why?

Actually in Sahel Zone (known as dry land) we are facing a paradox of inundation marked by high and intensive rainfall in a short time and soil erosion that could cause some-how irreversibly geomorphological and ecological modifications in a short active time. These modifications could have positive or/and negative impacts. Thus, I think that understanding how new processes are going on is relevant and geo-micromorphological investigations relative to this processes will help to find out how to manage land degradation and how to plan and implement research-development programs related to people adaptation and resilience to the consequences of climate change in the Sahelian zone.

3. What would be your wish for the future (and why) with this regard?

In the future, i would like to implement an experimental research-development program on micromorphological modification at the soil surface (0-20 cm) because I think and I am sure that: to understand in situ ecological and landscapes modifications we need to change our scale of observation. So, to manage and increase natural resources and also to help farmers and breeders of Sahel zone for a sustainable life, creating fundamental research stations and laboratories are mandatory. Additionally we need to create a new research concept and teaching system in accordance with the local social and natural context.

4. How is the Corona crisis affecting you in your every-day life and work?

The Corona pandemy in Niger like in all other country slowed even stopped many activities in many domains (scientific, political, economical,…). So, the situation impacted everybody. Personally, the Corona situation handicapped a lot my international mobility and research partnership with german universities (JMU-Wuerzburg, Bayreuth).