| dc.description | The devastating effects of the recent drought in the Horn of Africa have again called attention to the need for a longer-term response to the problems of food security and rural development in the region. Recurring drought and conflict are the main factors that have exacerbated these problems. They will continue to do so until more sustainable responses are in place. Solving these problems will require an integrated approach that encompasses the main themes of this volume. These include managing productive resources throughout the drought cycle, understanding ways to promote change, and managing conflict. There is considerable accumulated experience on options to help tackle these problems. This experience forms the core of the book’s chapters on dryland characteristics, policies, crops, soils and water, livestock, and ways to stimulate people to make the most of the strengths of individuals, their communities and organizations. The main objective of this volume is to make these dryland options available for application on a wider scale. Equally noteworthy, however, is the process that led to its development. Each of the sections builds on contributions from individuals who have successful experience in that area. This participatory process acknowledges the wealth of often localized experience that may be applied, while adding an appropriate framework to help understand the dynamics of the problems and possible solutions. Taking advantage of local experience to address more generalized problems of food security, resource management and conflict resolution is a common objective but often a very daunting challenge. This manual and the work that went into it provide an outstanding example of how that process can work effectively. | en_US |
