In the
field of Soil and Water Conservation (SWC), the WOCAT Database is unmatched. A
sample of this Database is presented in the book, “Where the land is greener – case studies and analysis of soil and
water conservation initiatives worldwide”. Published in 2007, it is still relevant
today. It was the first WOCAT publication in which SLM case studies were
published in a standardized format and these practices are still applicable – from digging water harvesting pits in
dry stream beds to carpeting the ground with green cane mulch.
The book draws
on 12 years of experience within the WOCAT programme to examine SWC from
a
global perspective, covering various land use types and addressing
global
concerns such as desertification, poverty, water scarcity, and conflict.
It
contains an extensive range of case studies: 42 conservation
technologies and
28 approaches from 23 countries, and sets new standards for systematic
documentation, evaluation, and dissemination of knowledge on Sustainable
Land Management. Policy points for decision-makers and donors offer new
impetus for
further investment to make the land greener. The book was published by
The
Technical Centre for Agricultural and Rural Cooperation (CTA), the
United
Nations Environment Programme (UNEP), the Food and Agriculture
Organization (FAO),
and the Centre for Development and Environment (CDE).
By collating real-life examples from the
field, the book’s main aim is to highlight and analyse cases of SLM from
various parts of the world. It seeks to demonstrate that there are possibilities
of maintaining land in a productive state, improving conditions where there has
been degradation, and rehabilitating badly degraded land. Links are made with
the Millennium Development Goals (MDGs) and the various global environmental
conventions – on desertification, climate change and biodiversity – and to the
pervasive issue of poverty, particularly rural poverty.
A secondary aim is to provide and
promote a prototype for documentation of knowledge at national and regional levels.
WOCAT has long supported and encouraged data collection, and attempted to
stimulate interest in documentation, evaluation, and dissemination of knowledge
as a means for monitoring the success of land management practices. We hope
this book will encourage the compilation of national and regional soil and
water conservation achievements and experiences, and the production of
overviews. The four-page formats for the presentation of case studies, which
are based on the WOCAT basic questionnaires, can act as a basis for further
systematic compilation to maintain consistency and aid comparison. The
consequent inventories and analyses will provide a reliable basis for
decision-making – at local, national, and regional levels.
In reviewing the conclusions, it has been possible to identify a number of related points that have clear policy implications for planners and decision-makers in governments and development agencies. These are presented in boxes following each of the sets of conclusions. Given that they are based on a global-level analysis, they may require fine-tuning and more explicit formulation to reflect specific national and
regional situations. These policy points reflect, furthermore, ‘what’ needs to be done rather than ‘how’ it can be achieved. Once again the particular circumstances must be taken into account to define specific strategies and the activities that are appropriate in each case. This global overview provides a ‘model’ that could be used for the comprehensive documentation and analysis of experience leading to refined policy guidelines at the national and regional levels.
For further details you are invited to download the PDF version of the book.
Switzerland
