Analysis of the impact of land management options in tackling land degradation in sub-Saharan Africa: example study based on longterm remote sensing and climate data

Abstract

Tackling land degradation and restoring degraded landscapes requires information on areas of priority intervention, since it is not economically and technically possible to manage all areas affected. Recent developments in data availability and improved computation power have enhanced our understanding of the major regional drivers of land degradation and possible remedial measures at different scales. In this study, we used the land degradation hotspots identified using satellite and climate data covering the period 1982-2003 (Vlek et al. 2010) and simulated the potentials of different management measures in tackling land degradation in sub-Saharan Africa (SSA).