 The dry areas of WANA (defined as receiving less than 400mm mean annual precipitation) embrace a significant share of the arable land in the region, virtually all of the steppe rangelands, and much of the upland watersheds.
In addition to being the main locus of rural poverty, they are severely degraded, largely as a result of human activity. While degradation is not solely of recent origin, there is strong evidence that it is accelerating. A generation ago natural pastures and rangelands provided a large proportion of the feed needs of the small ruminant population. Today, a far greater proportion of the feed needs are provided by cultivated grains (barley), crop residues and supplemental feeding of concentrates. Recent prolonged drought in many countries has had a severe effect on agropastoral communities, which have limited coping strategies and few alternative income earning opportunities.
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In the dry areas of WANA rural livelihoods are based on agropastoral systems of production in which small ruminants (sheep and goats) represent the principal economic output.  These systems are also in transition and vary both within and between countries, from nomadic or semi-nomadic rangeland based systems to mixed crop-livestock smallholder systems, with considerable interaction between the two. However, the farming systems promoted by past policies are not sustainable from an environmental or fiscal perspective, and there is urgent need for change. Governments are seeking new alternative approaches to address land degradation and poverty issues in the dry areas. Participatory approaches that aim at empowering the poor has provided leverage and brought in new avenues to promote sustainable resource use practices and livelihood strategies. |
