Analytical situations of land degradation and sustainable management strategies in Africa

In the face of trends towards a widening “food gap” and general poverty, this paper attempts to address the problem by discussing the methodologies necessary for sustainable land management to ensure improved food security, rapid economic development and poverty reduction in developing countries of Africa. The authors explain that the population of the world has been increasing at an exponential rate over the past few decades. Present projections suggest that it will be 11 billion by the year 2100. Population increases in developing African countries are at an upward trend too and most of these human populations live in urban, peri-urban and rural areas. Sustainable land management strategies are discussed in relation to:

information, monitoring and assessment
social issues relating to stakeholders participation and capacity building
policy issues
soil productivity restoration. 

All these strategies are to control and/or mitigate land degradation. It should be noted however, that sustainability as used in this document entails that natural resources and infrastructure be properly managed so that applied practices do not cause degradation and/or pollution, while a stable economy is achieved. Key concluding points and recommendations include:

the importance of addressing land use planning and management through a holistic approach such as ecosystem-based management cannot be overemphasised
there is need for access and rights to land, water and other natural resources, as well as the need for national and local measures to protect critical natural resources. it is important that social and health aspects of land use systems should be integrated in the overall planning process
there is an urgent need for appropriate policies, frameworks and measures to change production/ consumption systems into sustainable ones so as to combat land degradation, desertification, deforestation and loss of biodiversity and therefore improve food security, alleviate poverty and mitigate the effects of climatic change on population
equal access and the security of land tenure including for women, poor people, indigenous and local communities have to be guaranteed by policies and laws. Adequate land administration systems must also be developed to support sustainable land tenure. The participatory approach is strongly encouraged for land tenure reform processes and for the planning and management of land resources.