ENB:04:11
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WRI:
Peter Veit spoke about the need for socially
appropriate dryland management technologies. He commented that
many effective technologies and techniques already exist and are
being practiced by farmers in sub-Saharan Africa's drylands.
Several matters regarding small-scale technologies and local-
level natural resource management have implications for dryland
management in sub-Saharan Africa, including: local resource
management (security in land and resources, socio-economic
opportunities and incentives, and an enabling political
environment); technologies with multiple objectives; technologies
as packages of knowledge, skills, resources and practices; and
indigenous technologies and local knowledge. To be practical,
technologies also must have valued returns, known effectiveness,
cultural acceptance, and the capability to use local labor and
management resources. Government actions that might facilitate
small-scale technology
interventions for improving dryland management include: improve
existing technologies; strengthen village institutions;
strengthen informal information exchanges; and channel resources
to the grassroots.