Fertile ground

"Growing concerns about environmental degradation, declining agricultural productivity and increasing population pressures have led governments and agencies to seek new approaches to natural resource management. There are some innovative programmes in operation which are contributing to improved land management and increased livelihood security, many of which include the active involvement of local people in planning and decision-making in soil and water conservation and participatory watershed management. Nonetheless, there is a lack of research and information into designing and implementing new soil and water management policies and programmes, which is much needed in this complex area." "The twenty-three case studies present a rich and complex picture of the problems, achievements and continuing challenges faced by conservation professionals and farmers around the world. They provide compelling evidence of the importance of local people's involvement in natural resource planning and management. At the same time, they reveal how difficult it is to scale-up and institutionalize participatory approaches in large, sector-based programmes, particularly in government bureaucracies. The collection offers no short cuts to better land husbandry or enhanced rural livelihoods, but it does provide an analysis of the biophysical, socioeconomic and institutional impacts of development and management practices, and points to practicable and realistic ways forward for both governments and external support agencies."--BOOK JACKET.