DESIRE Desertification mitigation and remediation of land - a global approach for local solutions - Coen Ritsema on behalf of the DESIRE consortium

CONTENTS Introduction The DESIRE initiative Partners, budget, etc. Project goals Approach Expected outcome Conclusions

Introduction What has been done in the recent past from a scientific point of view? During the last decade at least 40 large international research projects have been executed on the topic of desertification and land degradation in the EU and northern Africa Main project focusNumber of projects Causes and land use changes 8 Monitoring, mapping, assessing 11 Processes and modelling11 Remediation and prevention5 Information exchange, awareness rising 5

Introduction Relatively few projects have been devoted to remediation and prevention strategies, and information exchange and dissemination of knowledge among stakeholders Therefore the EU launched a call for an Integrated Project on the topic of “Combating land degradation and desertification” in the last FP Global Change and Ecosystems Programme The DESIRE proposal has been submitted in this context, and thereupon granted for funding in 2006

As you all know the DESIRE project is a global initiative with: 20 partners from the EU and northern Africa 8 partners from elsewhere (USA, China, Russia, Botswana, Cape Verde, Mexico, Chile, and Australia The DESIRE initiative - partners

Alterra, WU, BothEnds, ISRIC, ITC The Netherlands KUL Belgium UL, UWS United Kingdom EEZE-CSIC Spain UA, ESAC Portugal CNR, MEDES Italy UB-CDE Switzerland AUA, Duth Greece EOU Turkey UM Morocco IRA Tunisia ISWC China CARI, IRD France UB Botswana CU USA DU Australia MSUEE Russia INIDA Cape Verde INIA Chile IRD Mexico

The DESIRE initiative - partners EU and national governments UniversitiesResearch institutes NGOs and SMEs Stakeholders and end-users Community level NGO level Research level Policy level

Within the DESIRE consortium expertise available on earth sciences, geography, ecology, hydrology, soil science, meteorology, agronomy, resource management, husbandry, land use planning, engineering, sociology, economy, policy and communication sciences Familiar with participatory approaches, GIS, RS, eco- engineering practices, field and laboratory studies, modelling, scenario studies, and cost-benefit analysis The DESIRE initiative - partners

Project duration will be 5 years, with starting date February 1, 2007 Total project budget is > 9 million Euro, of which around 7 million from the EU and the remainder part from different national governments The DESIRE initiative – duration and budget

Main aims are: 1.To develop and test promising prevention and remediation strategies against desertification and land degradation in 18 hotspot areas around the world in close cooperation with local stakeholders, and 2.To disseminate results to different fora, amongst others using a web-based harmonized information system The DESIRE initiative – project goals

The project distinguishes three phases 1.Diagnostic phase, covering a biophysical, socio-economical, political and institutional evaluation of the 18 hotspot sites 2.Synthesis and implementation phase, including assessment of stakeholder needs, know how, realities, and selection and testing of promising prevention and remediation strategies 3.Dissemination phase, focusing on developing a harmonized information system, preparation of guidelines, recommendations, and practical handbooks for end-users etc. The DESIRE initiative – project approach

Diagnostic phase Synthesis and implementation phase Dissemination phase Evaluating biophysical, socio-economical, political and institutional context per study site Current status and stakeholder needs assessment Defining promising prevention and remediation strategies Implementing and testing of selected measures Evaluation performance and determine regional effects Development of a harmonized information system, preparation of guidelines, and practical handbooks for end-users etc.

The DESIRE initiative – project approach It is proposed that the WOCAT database will be used as a starting point for selecting potentially available soil and water conservation measures for the DESIRE study sites, and for adding new technologies developed during the course of the project The WOCAT methodology was originally developed for solving problems related to soil erosion and fertility decline (

The DESIRE initiative – project approach Agronomic measures such as mixed cropping, contour cultivation, mulching, etc. Vegetative measures such as grass strips, hedge barriers, windbreaks, etc. Structural measures such as terraces, banks, bunds, constructions, palisades, etc Management measures such as land use change, area closure, rotational grazing, etc. Combinations in conditions where they are complementary and thus enhancing each other. Any combinations of the above measures are possible.

The DESIRE initiative – project approach If WOCAT will be used within the DESIRE project, the focus of the WOCAT methodology will be broadened to address other degradation phenomena also like salinity, compaction, wildfires, wind erosion, flash floods etc. Scientific and local indigenous knowledge will form the basis to develop new preventive and curative strategies and expand the WOCAT database. It is foreseen that also commercially available products or technologies (for instance soil amendments) could be tested and evaluated in the field regarding performance, cost-benefit, etc. For this purpose, potential industrial partners can be approached in the near future.

The DESIRE initiative – project approach So likely, during the course of the DESIRE project, the WOCAT database will be expanded and used also as a source for information exchange between the partners and local stakeholders involved. Of course, technologies added to the WOCAT database should be environmentally protective, socially acceptable, economically viable, and effective in reducing the risk of degradation and desertification

IP structure, interrelationship between working blocks, including WB coordinators and participating partners The DESIRE initiative – project approach Diagnostic phase Synthesis and implementation phase Dissemination phase

Within each WB several WPs are distinguished, for instance: WB1. Environmental and socio-economical context WP1.1 Information review WP1.2 Assessment and mapping WP1.3 Drivers and policy context WP1.4 Stakeholder analysis and sustainability goals including a series of project deliverables. Context and foreseen workplan of all these WBs will be further outlined and discussed on Tuesday. The DESIRE initiative – project approach

The DESIRE project timetable The DESIRE initiative – project approach

Within DESIRE, 18 hotspot study areas have been selected The DESIRE initiative – project approach

Degradation/desertification problems encountered are a.o.: 1.Overgrazing (Botswana, Greece, Tunisia, etc) 2.Water shortage, severe droughts (Spain, Greece, Australia, etc) 3.Irregular rainfall, flash floods (USA, Cape Verde) 4.Soil erosion by water (Italy, Turkey, Mexico, Chile) 5.Soil erosion by wind (China, Morocco) 6.Salinisation (Greece, Russia, Australia) 7.Forest fires (Portugal, Spain, Greece) The DESIRE initiative – project approach

Overgrazing The DESIRE initiative – project approach Continued droughtsFlash floods

Soil erosion by water The DESIRE initiative – project approach Soil erosion by windSalinisation Forest fires

At the end, DESIRE project deliverables will consist of A harmonized information system, including an updated WOCAT database Intermediate reports, papers, presentations for conferences etc. Special issue for an international scientific journal PhD (and MSc) theses However, we need to start working first! The DESIRE initiative – project outcome