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Despite numerous development and humanitarian efforts in the past decades, large portions of Africa and Asia, especially drylands, remain highly vulnerable to drought, as illustrated by the recent experiences in India (2009), China (2010), the Horn of Africa (2011) and the Sahel (2012). A stocktaking exercise was undertaken under the auspices of the Africa-Asia Drought Risk Management Peer…

This policy brief is based on a detailed and comprehensive analysis of relevant scientific and technical information and discussion papers, as well as inputs and comments from various experts. The conclusions can be found in the report “UNCCD Secretariat Policy Brief on Zero Net Land Degradation – a Sustainable Development Goal for Rio+20” with a focus on securing the contribution of our planet’s…

IUCN has been mandated by its members to develop a practical framework that is capable of systematically generating new insights on human dependence on natural systems that can: • Inform policy formulation by addressing ecosystem values including the social dimensions of livelihood strategies and the cultural, economic and political drivers of natural resource use. Thus research into the…

Significant progress has been made over the past decade or so in the development of policy and legislation that support the recognition of customary rights to land, with important legal rulings in Tanzania, Uganda, Mozambique, South Sudan, and South Africa. At the same time, the strengthening of communities’ traditional rights to use resources has progressed through community forest reserves and…

The Sustainable Rangeland Management Project (SRMP) aims at securing land and resource rights of pastoralists, agro-pastoralists and crop farmers, while improving land management by supporting village and district land use planning and rangeland management in Kiteto, Bahi, Chamwino and Kondoa Districts in Tanzania. More broadly, it aims at influencing policy formulation and implementation on…

The Sahel is a region where the population has always faced a high degree of climate variability, manifested both in terms of time (unexpected dry spells can occur during the rainy season) and in terms of space (rainfall can vary greatly from one area to another). Soil and Water Conservation- and Soil Protection and Restoration-Techniques have helped people in the Sahel to manage their ecosystems…