Soil erosion is a major problem in the Yellow River Basin: the river is one of the most

sediment-laden in the world. Although there is a rainfall gradient from 750 mm in southern

Shandong, to 200mm per year in northern Ningxia, most of the rainfed cropping area is in

regions with more than 400 mm per year – it is here that the project concentrated.

Conservation agriculture (featuring reduced or zero tillage, mulch retention, crop rotations

and cover crops) offers a possible solution to problems of soil erosion and low crop

This document outlines the necessity of formulating development policies specifically targeted at pastoralists and their livelihoods. The author reports that pastoralists have generally been ill-served by development policies and actions because of myths suggesting that pastoralists were 'backward'. Previous policies focused on changing pastoralists into something more ‘modern' or progressive.

Annual progress report 2013: CGIAR Research Program on Dryland Systems (Dryland Systems)

Dryland (arid and semi-arid) ecosystems occupy more than 41% of global land area and are home to 2.5 billion people. More than 50% of South Asia’s dryland ecosystems are located in India. Drylands contribute about 40% of the total food grain production and support two thirds of livestock population. Despite these important roles, agricultural production systems in the drylands are facing numerous challenges that threaten their resilience and future sustainability. This paper demonstrates some of the challenges and draws implications for priorities research and strategies.

Drylands are characterized by physical water scarcity, often associated with land degradation and
desertifi cation. Other factors that contribute to these problems include high population densities,
unwise agricultural practices and overgrazing. However, while desert ecosystems are fragile and
vulnerable and can collapse in the short term, given the right conditions and protection, these
areas also have a great potential for recovery. Examples of the recovery of areas have led to the

Arid, semi-arid and dry sub-humid areas cover 61 % of Tanzania (United Republic of Tanzania, 1999) and, over the past decades, several restoration projects have worked toward reversing degradation in these areas (Kikula, 1999; Kisanga et al., 1999). These projects have addressed from social and ecological perspectives and have spanned for decades, thereby allowing for a genuine opportunity to identify and articulate lessons learned and develop good practice guidelines for restoring productive capacity of drylands.

Africa has been at the centre of a "land grab" in recent years, with investors lured by projections of rising food prices, growing demand for "green" energy, and cheap land and water rights. But such land is often also used or claimed through custom by communities. What does this mean for Africa? In what ways are rural people's lives and livelihoods being transformed as a result? And who will control its land and agricultural futures?

Desertification is defined as land degradation occurring in the global drylands. It is one of the global problems targeted under the Sustainable Development Goals (SDG 15). The aim of this article is to review the history of desertification and to evaluate the scientific evidence for desertification spread and severity. First quantitative estimates of the global extent and severity of desertification were dramatic and resulted in the establishment of the UN Convention to Combat Desertification (UNCCD) in 1994. UNCCD’s task is to mitigate the negative impacts of desertification in drylands.

Grazing leads to the reduction of biomass and plays a critical role in land degradation in arid and semiarid lands. However, the indirect effects of grazing on the ecosystem, e.g., the effect on seed dispersal, have not been well understood. In this study, we built an agent-based model (ABM) to simulate how grazing intensity affects the seed dispersal of elm trees, one of the native vegetation species of temperate woodlands in semiarid lands. The simulated results from the ABM and observed data from the real world were compared to assess the accuracy and validity of the ABM.

Desertification occurs in drylands,which span a third of the earth ’s land surface in over 110 countries.It influences the lives of about 500 000 people – the so-called environmental refugees –including many of the world ’s poorest and most marginalized populations. Each year 12 million hectares (ha)are lost to deserts.That is enough land to grow 20 million tonnes of grain.

Change in land management practices and governmental policies is urgently needed to reverse the continuing decline of marginal drylands. Marginal drylands are fragile ecosystems that sustain the livelihoods of millions of poor people in developing countries. However, their capacity to provide these services is continuously declining due to desertification, resulting in dwindling land productivity, and affecting human well-being and development opportunities in many marginal drylands.

It took scientists more than three decades to transform a perceived desertification crisis in the Sahel into a non-event. Looking beyond the Sahel, the chapters in this book provide case studies from around the world that examine the use and relevance of the desertification concept.