Progress and challenges in sustainable land management initiatives: A global review

Sustainable land management (SLM) is widely recognized as the key to reducing rates of land degradation, and preventing desertification. Many efforts have been made worldwide by various stakeholders to adopt and/or develop various SLM practices. Nevertheless, a comprehensive review on the spatial distribution, prospects, and challenges of SLM practices and research is lacking. To address this gap, we gathered information from a global SLM database provided by the World Overview of Conservation Approaches and Technologies (WOCAT) and two bibliographic databases of academic research. Over 1900 SLM practices and 1181 academic research papers from 129 and 90 countries were compiled and analyzed. Relatively better SLM dissemination was observed in dry subhumid countries and countries with medium scores on the Human Development Index (HDI), whereas dissemination and research were both lower in humid countries with low HDI values. Cropland was the main land use type targeted in both dissemination and research; degradation caused by water erosion and mitigation aimed at water erosion were also the main focus areas.

HAREGEWEYN Nigussie;  TSUNEKAWA Atsushi;  TSUBO Misturu;  FENTA Ayele Almaw;  EBABU Kindiye;  VANMAERCKE Matthias;  BORRELLI Pasquale;  PANAGOS Panagiotis;  BERIHUN Mulatu Liyew;  LANGENDOEN Eddy;  NIGUSSIE Zerihun;  SETARGIE Tadesual Asamin;  MAURICE Benedict Nzioki;  MINICHIL Taye;  ELIAS Asres;  SUN Jian;  POESEN Jean; 

2022-11-30

ELSEVIER

JRC128606

0048-9697 (online),   

https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S0048969722071273,    https://publications.jrc.ec.europa.eu/repository/handle/JRC128606,   

10.1016/j.scitotenv.2022.160027 (online),