In West Africa, many countries are adversely affected by the effects of desertification, land degradation and drought(DLDD), with climate change also increasingly making an impact on local livelihoods. The most visible consequences are a loss of soil fertility and a reduction in agricultural productivity, which can lead to food and social crises and, consequently, to increased poverty. Furthermore, farmers are often forced to exploit the land to its maximum capacity in order to obtain good yields and to avoid the risk of famine.

As of 2017, SGP has awarded over 3,800 small grants to land degradation projects in over 120 countries, many of which are in regions with extreme levels of poverty and food insecurity across Africa and Latin America. Africa, in particular, is experiencing the highest population growth of the developing world, while being exposed and vulnerable to the rising impact from climate change.

Established in 1994, the United Nations to Combat Desertification (UNCCD) is the sole legally binding international agreement linking environment and development to sustainable land management. The Convention addresses specifically the arid, semi-arid and dry sub-humid areas, known as the drylands, where some of the most vulnerable ecosystems and peoples can be found.

Sustainable Development Goal (SDG) target 15.3 commits countries to strive towards land degradation neutrality (LDN) by 2030. LDN requires reductions in land quality to be balanced by efforts to restore or rehabilitate degraded areas. However, decisions need to be made as to where to invest given limited budgets and the impossibility of targeting all degraded land. Any prioritisation process is likely to be controversial and needs to be underpinned by transparent, justifiable, repeatable decision processes.

Established in 1994, the United Nations Convention to Combat Desertification (UNCCD) is the sole legally binding international agreement linking environment and development to sustainable land management. The Convention addresses specifically the arid, semi-arid and dry sub-humid areas, known as the drylands, where some of the most vulnerable ecosystems and peoples can be found.

Land Degradation Neutrality is one of the Sustainable Development Goal targets, requiring on-going degradation to be balanced by restoration and sustainable land management. However, restoration and efforts to prevent degradation have often failed to deliver expected benefits, despite enormous investments. Better acknowledging the close relationships between climate, land management and non-linear ecosystem dynamics can help restoration activities to meet their intended goals, while supporting climate change adaptation and mitigation.

Pressing issues such as water and food security, health, peace, and poverty are deeply linked to land degradation. The authors use China’s major land restoration programs as a case offering perspective on the existing problems in China’s major policies for improving degraded land and maintaining land resources in three dimensions.

La désertification est une dégradation progressive des sols dans les zones sèches, affectant leur potentiel de productivité biologique et économique. Aujourd’hui, plus de 3,2 milliards de personnes dans le monde vivent sur environ 2 milliards d’hectares de terres dégradées. Par ailleurs, 500 millions de personnes habitent dans des zones déjà touchées par la désertification. Ce phénomène, s’amplifiant et touchant aujourd’hui tous les continents, représente un réel danger pour la santé humaine, la biodiversité, le climat, la sécurité alimentaire, la stabilité et la sécurité.

La réponse à la demande accrue de produits alimentaires accentue la pression exercée au niveau mondial sur les ressources que sont les eaux, les terres et les sols. L’agriculture a un rôle à jouer dans l’allégement de cette pression et dans la concrétisation des objectifs en matière de climat et de développement. Des pratiques agricoles durables peuvent déboucher sur des améliorations directes de l’état des terres, des sols et de l’eau, mais elles peuvent aussi être bénéfiques aux écosystèmes et réduire les émissions issues de la terre.

Un document d'options pour sensibiliser à la gouvernance foncière responsable pour lutter contre la désertification, la dégradation des terres et la sécheresse.