Uganda suffers from a high degree of soil nutrient depletion and its agricultural productivity is either stagnant or declining. This case study identifies factors affecting the adoption or rejection of more sustainable agricultural technologies by Ugandan farmers and proposes some changes to land management policies. Woelcke works at the Agriculture and Rural Development Department of the World Bank. The volume does not contain an index. Annotation ©2004 Book News, Inc., Portland, OR (booknews.com).

Deforestation, overgrazing, and unsustainable methods of cultivation are threatening agriculture and food security in the highlands of East Africa. In response, economists and other development professionals have turned their attention to combating the pr

References pp. 123-136.

Most African countries strive for both poverty reduction and sustainable land management, yet information on the exact relationship between these goals is limited. This report seeks to fill the gap by demonstrating a strong linkage between poverty and land management. Using Uganda as a case study, the authors show that certain policies, such as investments in soil and water conservation and agroforestry, may simultaneously increase productivity and reduce poverty and land degradation. Other strategies, including development of rural roads, non-farm activities, and rural finance, may reduce poverty without significantly affecting productivity or land management. Some policies, however, will likely involve trade-offs among different goals and will need to have their negative impacts minimized. Those in government, NGOs, the private sector, or academia who are concerned about sustainably reducing poverty in Sub-Saharan Africa will benefit from this analysis of how to pursue these key development goals.

Less-favored areas with limited agricultural potential or difficult access conditions, support 40 percent of the world's rural population suffering from chronic poverty. While agricultural innovations and rural development programs have begun to be implemented within developing countries, they do not address the specific obstacles faced by this large population. Instead, a targeted approach is needed to identify different resource management strategies for particular types of households and communities as well as creating balanced investments aimed at sustainable intensification of rural livelihoods. Such efforts have been the focus of the research program on Regional Food Security Policies for Natural Resource Management and Sustainable Economies (RESPONSE). Through the study of less-favored areas in Africa, Latin America, and South and East Asia, development pathways allowing for the careful adjustment of resource use strategies at the field, farm-household and village level are explored.