In this chapter, results of recent research conducted in the northern Ethiopian region of Tigray, which has experienced severe land degradation are synthesized. This paper highlights the technological and institutional factors determining the adoption of natural resource conservation at both the household and the community levels.

Humanity is facing an enormous challenge in managing water to secure adequate food production. By the middle of this century, the world?s population is projected to reach 9.1 billion, 34 percent higher than today. Nearly all of this increase will occur in developing countries. In order to respond to the expected demand of this larger, more urban and, on average, richer population, food production must increase by about 70% as estimated by the FAO.

The papers are grouped into four categories: land management practices for intensive agriculture; overcoming soil constraints; technology adoption; and planned research and development.

A project proposal whose aim is to promote more appropriate resource management on smallholder crop-livestock farms in East Africa is described. Prototypes of mixed farming systems will be developed to characterise farming systems according to their management objectives. These prototypes will then be used to map improvements of the farming systems by combining prototyping and simulation modelling. Scenarios will be explored to assess natural resource management interventions that promote sustainability of these prototype-farming systmes.

La gestion durable des ressources naturelles, notamment dans les pays du Sahel, a toujours soulevé des problèmes dont celui de l’inadaptation des législations nationales y relatives. Le processus d’élaboration et de mise en œuvre de ces législations est à l’image des conditions politiques, socio-économiques et culturelles des pays en question. Le Burkina Faso, pour sa part, a connu plusieurs formes de régimes politiques et, de ce fait, capitalise un certain nombre d’expériences de réformes législatives et réglementaires dans le secteur des forêts et des ressources naturelles.