Advances in land degradation research:
integrating different approaches
DESIRE project Workshop, Enschede 18-19 May 2010
UNIVERSITY OF TWENTE
Faculty ITC
“Capacity building and institutional development of professional
and academic organisations and individuals specifically in
countries that are economically and/or technologically less
developed”
Key figures
 240 staff
 1950 students
 500+ degrees/diplomas/certificates
 140+ PhDs
UNIVERSITY OF TWENTE
4/13
Dynamic Programme
18 May 2010
Time
Talk
Name
Titel
08.30-09.00
Registration
09.00-09.15
Victor Jetten
Desertification
09.15-09.30
Alterra representative
DESIRE
Session 1: effectriveness of SWC and socio-economic research within DESIRE
09.30-10.00
1
Willem Maetens
Evaluation effectiveness SWTC
10.00-10.30
2
Gudrun Schwilch
Assessment and selection of SLM technologies and
approaches in DESIRE
10.30-10.50
Coffee and Tea
Session 2: continued
10.50-11.20
3
Doan Naingolan
Integrating space and agents’ decision making into the
modelling of adoption of soil and water conservation
technologies
11.20-11.50
4
Nadia Machouri
Dynamics of degradation in the Moroccan cork oak
forest and possibilities of sustainable development
11.50-12.20
5
Dhaou Hanen
Impacts des facteurs climatiques et édaphiques sur la
production des oliviers en milieu aride
12.30-13.30
Lunch
UNIVERSITY OF TWENTE
What is desertification ?

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Le Hourou & Lundholm (1977): Desertification is the spread of desertlike conditions in arid or semi-arid lands. Degradation of arid and semiarid ecosystems
(triggered by Sahel droughts in 70ties).
FAO (1979): links desertification to land degradation and defines 6 main
groups of degradation processes focusing on soils.
Sabadell (1982): desertification is the sustained decline and/or
destruction of biological productivity of arid and semi-arid lands +
causes, drivers
Worldbank (1988): a process of sustained land (soil and vegetation)
degradation in arid, semi-arid and dry sub-humid areas, caused at least
partly by man. It reduces productive potential …

Etc. etc.

(from http://www.geog.uu.nl/landdegradation/Definitions.htm)
UNIVERSITY OF TWENTE
What is desertification ?
 Earlier definitions: land degradation related to drought and loss
of agricultural productivity and biomass potential. Drivers are
climate and to some extent land users
 Later definitions: desertification is land degradation in arid,
semi-arid and dry subhumid areas resulting from various factors,
including climatic variations and human activities.
Current UNCCD definition (2005)
 Desertification is the degradation of land in arid, semi-arid and
dry sub-humid areas. It is caused primarily by human activities
and climatic variations.
UNIVERSITY OF TWENTE
A scientific viewpoint
Climate
Topography
Soil
High
Low
Frequency Frequency
Runoff & Erosion
Fire
Drought &
Aridity
Salinisation
Vegetation
Degradation
Soil
Degradation
Economic
Return
Socio-Economic
system
Land
Cover
Land
Management
Legend
Drivers
Desertification
outcomes
Rapid response
Slow response
UNIVERSITY OF TWENTE
“Land degradation”
 Land degradation is an underrecognized threat to global well-being
which will be aggravated by climate change. The poor are hurt most,
because they depend largely on the land.
 The drylands are most susceptible to degradation.
 The conversion of rangelands to croplands accelerates degradation.
 Land degradation has far-reaching effects (upstream-downstream,
upwind-downwind).
 Drought aggravates land degradation, and climate change will
aggravate drought.
 Land degradation reduces carbon storage, contributing to global
warming.
 Dryland biodiversity is a valuable resource deserving protection.
UNIVERSITY OF TWENTE
“Land Health”
 Land degradation is a sustainable development problem.
 Close attention should be paid to decision-making by land users,
who should be involved in devising solutions.
 Advantage should be taken of both local and scientific knowledge.
 Policy, institutional, economic and market innovations can
motivate change and unlock potential.
 Research can open major new avenues for moving from land
degradation to land health.
 Natural resources should be stored and recycled in order to
improve land health, reduce risk and increase resilience.
 The natural endowments of the land should be supplemented with
strategic, sustainable inputs which will increase reliable
productivity and income.
 It is necessary to attach value to the services that the land provides
Local advantages need to be captured, given added value and
diversified.
UNIVERSITY OF TWENTE
Key words
 Change from climate as threat and land users
as victims to land users as actors, who must
be involved in decision making
 Diversify, increase resilience, reduce risk. In
general create beneficial situations for land
users
 Recognize and pay for ecosystem services of
dry lands
 Desertification has much wider geographical
implications than the area where it happens
UNIVERSITY OF TWENTE
11/13
Dynamic Programme
18 May 2010
Time
Talk
Name
Titel
08.30-09.00
Registration
09.00-09.15
Victor Jetten
Desertification
09.15-09.30
Alterra representative
DESIRE
Session 1: effectriveness of SWC and socio-economic research within DESIRE
09.30-10.00
1
Willem Maetens
Evaluation effectiveness SWTC
10.00-10.30
2
Gudrun Schwilch
Assessment and selection of SLM technologies and
approaches in DESIRE
10.30-10.50
Coffee and Tea
Session 2: continued
10.50-11.20
3
Doan Naingolan
Integrating space and agents’ decision making into the
modelling of adoption of soil and water conservation
technologies
11.20-11.50
4
Nadia Machouri
Dynamics of degradation in the Moroccan cork oak
forest and possibilities of sustainable development
11.50-12.20
5
Dhaou Hanen
Impacts des facteurs climatiques et édaphiques sur la
production des oliviers en milieu aride
12.30-13.30
Lunch
UNIVERSITY OF TWENTE