Indigenous soil and water conservation practices are rarely acknowledged in the design of projects. Instead, the history of soil and water conservation in Africa has been one of imposing external solutions without regard to local practice.
This book documents farmers’ practices, exploring the origins and adaptations carried out over generations in response to changing circumstances. For the first time, Africa-wide, this book shows that indigenous techniques work, and are being used successfully to conserve and harvest soil and water. These insights combine to suggest new ways for goverments and agencies to support sustainable land management, involving a fusion of traditional and modern approaches.