It is increasingly recognized that land can be managed most sustainably through involving local communities. This book highlights the potential of a new methodology of uncovering and stimulating community initiatives in sustainable land management in Africa. Analyses of four contrasting African countries (Ghana, Morocco, South Africa and Uganda) show that as communities directly face the challenges of land degradation, they are likely to develop initiatives themselves in terms of sustainable land management. These initiatives (or ‘innovations’) may be more appropriate and sustainable than those emanating from research stations located far from the communities. The book describes the rationale of the approach used, the set of steps followed, how the project managed to engage the communities to understand the importance of the activities they were undertaking, and how they were stimulated to improve and extend their initiatives and innovativeness. Examples covered include soil fertility, community forestry, afforestation, water, invasive species and grazing land management. Central to the book is the way communities, and scientists, interacted between the four countries and learnt from each other. The book also shows how the initiatives were outscaled locally.

This report summarizes the findings of the Uganda Sustainable Land Management Public Expenditure Review (SLM PER). The SLM PER was undertaken to achieve six main objectives: (i) establish a robust data base on SLM-related public expenditure that can support credible empirical analysis; (ii) develop a sound methodology for conducting SLM PERs, which could guide similar work in the future; (iii) analyze the level and composition of SLM spending in the recent past; (iv) identify potential entry points for public support based on the concept of development pathways; (v) understand the institutional arrangements for coordination on SLM issues; and (vi) draw policy recommendations for the land use sector. Overall the SLM PER aims at informing the current policy dialogue with and within Uganda and thereby contributing to the development of a common national strategy for the efficient and effective scale-up of SLM interventions. The review is expected to provide important input to: (i) the on-going Comprehensive Africa Agriculture Development Program (CAADP) process, including the SLM Country Strategic Investment Framework (CSIF); and (ii) the Ugandan SLM Country Program that will be supported by the World Bank and the Global Environment Facility (GEF) through TerrAfrica. Uganda is preparing a CSIF with the goal of establishing a country-led operational roadmap for developing a sequenced program of SLM interventions. The PER is among the recommended diagnostic tools for CSlF preparation and SLM awareness building. In general, this analytical work complements the on-going Agriculture PER in Uganda.

References pp. 123-136.

This book addresses the issue of climate change risks and hazards holistically. Climate change adaptation aims at managing climate risks and hazards to an acceptable level, taking advantage of any positive opportunities that may arise. At the same time, developing suitable responses to hazards for communities and users of climate services is important in ensuring the success of adaptation measures. But despite this, knowledge about adaptation options, including possible actions that can be implemented to improve adaptation and reduce the impacts of climate change hazards, is still limited. Addressing this need, the book presents studies and research findings and offers a catalogue of potential adaptation options that can be explored. It also includes case studies providing illustrative and inspiring examples of how we can adapt to a changing climate.

The review was conducted with the aim to provide guidance for future engagement/investments, in particular in the context of recent AU declarations on agriculture and on land restoration by NEPAD, GEF, TerrAfrica, the Great Green Wall Initiative for the Sahel and Sahara (GGWISS), UN agencies and other donors. This paper provides an abridged summary of the findings for easier access by country policy / decision makers, agencies, development partners and donors, as a basis for informing future interventions for scaling-up sustainable land management (SLM).