Better Land Husbandry: Re-Thinking Approaches to Land Improvement and the

Soil erosion has conventionally been perceived as the chief cause of land degradation, yet the limited effectiveness and poor uptake of widely promoted physical and biological anti-erosion methods challenges this logic. An alternative perception focusing on prior land damage- notably to soil cover, architecture and fertility- permits an holistic, farmer-centred approach which has generated positive response to date. Policy conclusions • Investment in physical structures to prevent erosion is unlikely to be sustainably effective in the absence of improvements in land husbandry. • A land husbandry approach focusing on higher yields and improved vegetative cover, reduced raindrop impact and runoff, and improved soil architecture can reduce erosion and improve fertility, and enhance farm livelihoods. • Different types of agency (NGOs; government research and extension) can each bring their strengths to bear in collaborative efforts which are interdisciplinary, supportive of farmers ' aspirations, and based on joint learning