Soil erosion can have a devastating impact on traditional farming landscapes in developing countries. But its effects can only be fully addressed through significant advances in interdisciplinary scientific and societal approaches, according to new research.
A major international study led by the University of Plymouth has shown that traditional pastoralist communities – such as the Maasai in East Africa – are abundantly aware that climate change and intensive grazing are having a marked effect on the resources they rely on for survival.
But finding solutions is not an easy task. The communities face significant cultural and political barriers when it comes to implementing soil conservation measures, meaning that huge swathes of former pasture land are being lost or degraded.
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Image Credit: Carey Marks / University of Plymouth