An extensive measurement program was undertaken including field, aircraft, and satellite remote sensing measurements, mainly between mid-1990 and late 1992. An intensive operations period was undertaken for 8 weeks from mid to late growing season of 1992. The landscape consists of repeated toposequences from plateau to valley bottoms. In less disturbed areas of the plateau, vegetation arcs 3-5m in height and 10m wide form stripes of varying length. Between adjacent stripes there is generally no soil or vegetation.
Millet cultivation is common on the lower slopes.
The valley floor is covered with millet fields and fallow. The valley bottom has bleached sands and often has temporary pools during the rainy season. The climate of the study area is typical of the southern Sahel. The last 25 years have been marked with persistent drought and the mean for this period is 495mm. Rains usually begin in June, and the average length of the growing season is 94 days.