The Role of Sustainable Land Management for Climate ... - CAADP

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other studies have found that the degree of degradation can also vary within farm units. For
example, greater land degradation often occurs on the more distant fields from the household
compound, since application of manure and other organic materials tends to be concentrated
close to the residence (Tittonell et al. 2005, Prudencio 1993, Bamwerinde et al 2006). Thus, the
effect of degradation on vulnerability to climate change may be multifaceted – reaching many
more households than what might be predicted from land degradation maps.
A study by Place et al (2006) contrasting the central and western highlands of Kenya
demonstrates how differences in land stewardship and productivity can make a huge difference
in enterprise opportunities and poverty. While they have similar rainfall patterns, the western
Kenya highlands are characterized by depleted soils, poor yields, and lack of commercial
enterprises, while in the central highlands, soil conservation and fertility inputs are high, a wide
range of profitable crop, livestock and tree enterprises are tested and grown, and rural poverty
rates are the lowest in all of Kenya. The adaptive capacity of central Kenya to climate change is
much greater as a result.
Finally, it is worthwhile to review the CEEPA (Centre for Environmental Economics and
Policy in Africa) studies of climate impacts on agriculture. Though the studies used crosssectional
household data, the results from across 8 different countries consistently found that
households received lower income from agriculture where rainfall was lower, and also often
when temperatures were higher, controlling for several other factors (e.g. Deressa 2006, for
Ethiopia). This shows that profitable agricultural opportunities in the more challenging climates
are either not generally available or are underutilized by farmers, even where they are available.
Hence, communities are already economically vulnerable to climates that are predicted to
become more prevalent. Land degradation which restricts the types of enterprises which are
viable worsens this. Bamwerinde et al (2005), for example, found that plots of lower quality
(e.g. stoney lands) in southwest Uganda were dominated by a single land use, woodlots.
3.2.4 Sustainable land management is effective in climate change adaptation and mitigation
Sustainable land management offers opportunities for enhancing the adaptation capacity of
communities and for mitigating the effects of climate change. Many practices can
simultaneously achieve both adaptation and mitigation goals, especially those which increase soil
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