Abstract

Desertification is a major worldwide problem. But it is most extensive and severe in the arid and semi-arid areas in sub-Saharan Africa, where one third of the entire world area of dryland soil degradation is to be found. Improving natural resource management as a means to combat desertification is an important, if not essential, step forward. This imperative has brought together nine countries of sub-Saharan Africa (Niger, Burkina Faso, Mali, Senegal, Botswana, Namibia, Zimbabwe, South Africa, and Kenya) to form a consortium called the Desert Margins Initiative (DMI). A "bottom up" approach is the basic premise for the development of the DMI as an integrated local, national, sub-regional, and international action research program for developing sustainable natural resource management options to combat desertification in the region.

The key overriding goal of the DMI is to increase the food security of poor, rural populations and contribute to poverty alleviation by halting or reversing desertification. Its mission is to unravel the complex causative factors, climatic and human-induced; formulate appropriate holistic solutions; and develop integrated approaches to halt or reverse land degradation. The DMI partners have a 10-year project plan. This project will support DMI activities in three countries: Burkina Faso, Kenya, and Botswana. Global coordination of the program and funds accountability will be ensured by ICRISAT (International Crops Research Institute for the Semi-Arid Tropics). Research activities will be implemented at the national level through the national coordination committees.

Post-Project Summary

A complete postproject abstract could not be written due to insufficient documentation (final report). Available information indicates that the project objectives were met. See bibliography.

Recipient Institution(s)