Handbook for the Field Assessment of Land Degradation PDF Download

Author: Michael Stocking
Publisher: Earthscan
ISBN: 1853838314
Category : Land degradation
Languages : en
Pages : 184

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Book Description
First Published in 2001. Routledge is an imprint of Taylor & Francis, an informa company.

Author: Michael A Stocking
Publisher: Routledge
ISBN: 9781136533693
Category : Agriculture
Languages : en
Pages : 169

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Book Description
With the increasing concern over rural livelihoods and the food security of poor communities in developing countries, it is vital that land quality is maintained. Yet, land degradation is widespread and is lowering the productive capacity of the land in these countries. This practical handbook presents simple, non-technical indicators for assessing land degradation in the field. Based on the perspective of the farmer, the methods selected lend meaning to real farming situations, helping the field professional to understand not only the impact of degradation but also the benefits to be gained from reversing it. The handbook shows how to calculate indicators such as those of soil loss, explains the interpretation of results and in particular how combinations of different indicators can give conclusive evidence of the severity of land degradation. The focus of the book is firmly on understanding the farmer?s interaction with the land, and how environmental protection, food security and the well-being of rural land users may be assured. With detailed figures, photographs, worked examples and sample forms based on assessment techniques validated by field professionals in Africa, Asia and Latin America, this will be an essential training manual will be invaluable for field-workers in NGOs and in governmental and educational institutions. It will also be of interest to researchers and academics in development, environment and agriculture.

Author: Rattan Lal
Publisher: CRC Press
ISBN: 1000098974
Category : Science
Languages : en
Pages : 573

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Book Description
Soil degradation has serious global impacts on agronomic, economic, and sociopolitical conditions, however, statistics regarding the degree of these impacts has been largely unreliable. This book aims to standardize the methodology for obtaining reliable and objective data on soil degradation. It will also identify and develop criteria for assessing the severity of soil degradation, providing a realistic scenario of the problem.

Author: Piers Blaikie
Publisher: Routledge
ISBN: 1317411943
Category : Science
Languages : en
Pages : 323

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Book Description
Why does land management so often fail to prevent soil erosion, deforestation, salination and flooding? How serious are these problems, and for whom? This book, first published in 1987, sets out to answer these questions, which are still some of the most crucial issues in development today, using an approach called ‘regional political ecology’. This approach acknowledges that the reason why land management can fail are extremely varied, and must include a thorough understanding of the changing natural resource base itself, the human response to this, and broader changes in society, of which land managers are a part. Land Degradation and Society is essential reading for all students of geography, agriculture, social sciences, development studies and related subjects.

Author: Ndegwa Ndiang'ui
Publisher: Springer Science & Business Media
ISBN: 3540724370
Category : Nature
Languages : en
Pages : 629

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Book Description
Based on an International Workshop held in Arusha, Tanzania, this book presents state-of-the-art papers, real world applications, and innovative techniques for combating land degradation. It offers recommendations for effectively using weather and climate information for sustainable land management practices.

Author: Cullen Gunn
Publisher:
ISBN: 9780730661528
Category : Land degradation
Languages : en
Pages : 64

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Book Description

Author: Ephraim Nkonya
Publisher: Springer
ISBN: 3319191683
Category : Business & Economics
Languages : en
Pages : 695

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Book Description
This volume deals with land degradation, which is occurring in almost all terrestrial biomes and agro-ecologies, in both low and high income countries and is stretching to about 30% of the total global land area. About three billion people reside in these degraded lands. However, the impact of land degradation is especially severe on livelihoods of the poor who heavily depend on natural resources. The annual global cost of land degradation due to land use and cover change (LUCC) and lower cropland and rangeland productivity is estimated to be about 300 billion USD. Sub-Saharan Africa (SSA) accounts for the largest share (22%) of the total global cost of land degradation. Only about 38% of the cost of land degradation due to LUCC - which accounts for 78% of the US$300 billion loss – is borne by land users and the remaining share (62%) is borne by consumers of ecosystem services off the farm. The results in this volume indicate that reversing land degradation trends makes both economic sense, and has multiple social and environmental benefits. On average, one US dollar investment into restoration of degraded land returns five US dollars. The findings of the country case studies call for increased investments into the rehabilitation and restoration of degraded lands, including through such institutional and policy measures as strengthening community participation for sustainable land management, enhancing government effectiveness and rule of law, improving access to markets and rural services, and securing land tenure. The assessment in this volume has been conducted at a time when there is an elevated interest in private land investments and when global efforts to achieve sustainable development objectives have intensified. In this regard, the results of this volume can contribute significantly to the ongoing policy debate and efforts to design strategies for achieving sustainable development goals and related efforts to address land degradation and halt biodiversity loss.

Author: Jan de Graaff
Publisher: CRC Press
ISBN: 1482280256
Category : Nature
Languages : en
Pages : 550

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Book Description
This book provides diverse information and critical know-how to implement appropriate methodology and cost-efficient monitoring and evaluation systems better suited to assess the impacts of soil conservation and wastershed multi-sectoral development activities. It draws on a worldwide experience of specialists and a large array of ground-truthing projects and programmes. This book will meet its objective if it contributes to convince financing institutions and project managers that integrated watershed management activities have the potential to generate highly desirable impacts for the society at large, which have to be accurately measured by adequate M&E systems.

Author: Cullen Gunn
Publisher:
ISBN:
Category :
Languages : en
Pages : 64

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Book Description

Author: Ajai
Publisher: CRC Press
ISBN: 1351115618
Category : Nature
Languages : en
Pages : 401

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Book Description
Desertification and land degradation are complex phenomena, and we need to understand their causes, consequences, and means to mitigate and combat their impact. Therefore, this book aims to explain the concept and characteristics of drylands, desert and desertification, land degradation, wastelands, and the concept of ecosystem services. It also discusses various types of processes of land degradations, their characteristics, physics and indicators along with mapping, monitoring and assessment of methods involved. Concept of Ocean Biological Deserts is discussed along with international and regional efforts towards combating land degradation and desertification. Key Features: • Provides all the aspect of desertification and land degradation at one place • Includes comprehensive methods to monitor different desertification/land degradation processes • Comprehensive overview of the mapping, monitoring and modelling techniques • Role of space borne data in identifying, monitoring and combating desertification is evaluated and reported with real case studies • Explains the concept of ocean biological deserts, their characteristics and mapping