Soil and water conservation in sub-Saharan Africa : towards sustainable production by the rural poor

The accelerating land degradation processes in Sub-Saharan Africa are resulting in increasing poverty and marginalization of the rural people. Soil and water conservation policies and programmes should be national priorities, but must be carried out on an area-specific basis. This report explains the basic processes of land degradation, as well as the social and economic ramifications. Indigenous conservation techniques, often ignored by researchers, are presented as they exist in 14 countries. Governmental conservation programmes often lack sufficient incentive schemes for the land user. IFAD's Special Programme has as its objectives a quick recovery for small farmers, and the introduction of farming methods that are more resilient to environmental stress. Case studies of modified indigenous conservation systems from many countries, new biological techniques of conservation, training programmes and economic principles are explained, keeping in mind the goals of sustainability, community (especially women's) participation, incentives, and simplicity.