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The overriding finding of the LUCID land use changes analyses is how rapidly farming and agro-pastoral systems have changed:small-scale farmers and pastoralists have changed their entire system several times since the 1950’snew land uses have been developed, and existing land uses have been transformedThese changes have allowed many more people to live on the land as farmers and agro-pastoralists, and the systems have shown flexibility and adaptability in face of changing international and national economic and political structures. Despite the rapid evolution of systems, rural poverty is common and key environmental resources are becoming increasingly scarce, contested and / or degraded.The research found that poverty, poor land management and land degradation are much more common and persistent in marginal environments, especially, the remote, semi-arid zones.Policy implications include:semi-arid farming: effort should focus on drought resistant crops; higher value crops and the means to market them; diversifying local income (commodity processing)wetlands and irrigated agriculture: increased attention to water quality, quantity, flow and distribution among user groups; promoting traditional water management practicesfarming-livestock mixed system: consistent and reliable commodity markets; access to inputs and credit; improved infrastructure; options in employment in processing and marketing of crops and livestock
