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Land degradation assessment in Southern Africa: integrating local and scientific knowledge bases
Author(s) -
Stringer L. C.,
Reed M. S.
Publication year - 2006
Publication title -
land degradation and development
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 1.403
H-Index - 81
eISSN - 1099-145X
pISSN - 1085-3278
DOI - 10.1002/ldr.760
Subject(s) - land degradation , citizen journalism , degradation (telecommunications) , environmental resource management , environmental planning , environmental degradation , process (computing) , narrative , land use , political science , environmental science , computer science , law , civil engineering , engineering , ecology , telecommunications , linguistics , philosophy , biology , operating system
Recent attempts to address land degradation have seen calls for greater integration of scientific expertise with local knowledges. In this paper we investigate the potential for such combined understandings to enhance the accuracy, coverage and relevance of land degradation assessment. We followed a participatory approach, using methods from a variety of disciplines, to elicit potential land degradation indicators from communities in Botswana and Swaziland. These indicators were then assessed according to local and scientific understandings. We noted a significant overlap between scientific and local knowledges about land degradation in most instances. Where discrepancies occurred, the integrated participatory approach we used allows appropriate explanation to be reached, supporting the case that such an iterative process can lead to both accurate and relevant monitoring of land degradation. However, the incorporation of integrated knowledges into national policy has not been widespread in either country, suggesting that much greater efforts are required to institutionalise participatory land degradation assessment methodologies. Powerful, often neo‐Malthusian narratives of degradation continue to dominate policy discourse and limit the extent to which hybrid combined local and scientific knowledges can enhance land degradation assessment on a national and regional scale. Copyright © 2006 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.