Desire for Greener Land - Options for Sustainable Land Management in Drylands

The publication 'Desire for Greener Land' has been written in the framework of the DESIRE project and compiles options for Sustainable Land Management (SLM) in drylands.

The book describes the DESIRE approach and WOCAT methodology for a range of audiences, from local agricultural advisors to scientists and policymakers. Links are provided to manuals and online materials, enabling application of the various tools and methods in similar projects.
The book also includes an analysis of the current context of degradation and SLM in the study sites, in addition to analysis of the SLM technologies and approaches trialled in the DESIRE project. Thirty SLM technologies, eight SLM approaches, and several degradation and SLM maps from all the DESIRE study sites are compiled in a concise and well-illustrated format, following the style of this volume’s forerunner where the land is greener (WOCAT 2007).
Finally, conclusions and policy points are presented for decision makers, the private sector, civil society, donors,and the research community. These are intended to support people’s efforts to invest wisely in the sustainable management of land – enabling greener drylands to become a reality, not just a desire.

Editors and lead authors: Gudrun Schwilch, Rudi Hessel, and Simone Verzandvoort (2012)