Land Degradation Neutrality is a new way of approaching land degradation that acknowledges that land and land-based ecosystems are affected by global environmental change as well as by local land use practices. Achieving the target of a land degradation neutral world encourages adaptive management during planning, implementation, and monitoring of LDN-related activities and follows the LDN response hierarchy of avoiding, reducing, and reversing land degradation.

This thematic report highlights case studies from East Africa that illustrate the critical role of land governance in achieving LDN, and the role of tenure security as a particular challenge for the region. The examples traverse the region from the northern plains in Africa’s largest country of Sudan, eastwards to the volcanic plateaus of Ethiopia, and down to the lush mountain valleys of Rwanda. They reveal that stakeholders range from indigenous communities and tribal chiefs to government officials, civil society organisations, and members of the international community who are working on the ground to make sure the future of land use in East Africa is integrated within a land governance framework that is inclusive for all land users. Finally, they demonstrate viable ways for LDN to be incorporated responsively into policy and decision-making at all levels.