Good practices in drylands management

ABSTRACT

The objectives of this study are to analyze and synthesize the experience of the World Bank and other agencies in drylands management, with a special emphasis on Africa. Recommendations are provided on "good policies and practices" in drylands management that can support actions to fulfill obligations arising from the United Nations Convention to Combat Deserification (CCD) for member countries and for international organizations, such as the World Bank. The paper looks at "good practices" in the management of rangelands and dryland farming, pastoral development, community-based natural resources management, and drought preparedness. This paper points to many possibilities for increasing the productivity of drylands. A doubling or fourfold increase or more of yields should be within reach in many areas. To be sure, many obstacles and constraints first need to be passed or removed. Participation by drylands communities is crucial to improved drylands management. If policies and practices of governements and donors are to succeed, the must be based on the knowledge, aspirations, desires, priorities, and decisions of the people living there. These communities have strong interst in the preservation of the resources that provide for their survival, but they are often constrained by inappropiate government or donor policies. Among the practices mentioned there are pastoral resources management, improvement of dryland farming practices, community-based resource management, drought preparedness and risk mitigation and the use of indigenous knowledge