PLANNING STRATEGIES AND FUNDING MODALITIES FOR LAND REHABILITATION

A framework for planning development strategies for sustainable land use in developing countries is proposed based on the carrying capacity concept. The rehabilitation of degraded land includes a stabilization and a restoration phase, with corresponding measures to be taken and funding modalities to be explored. Restoration measures focus on the rehabilitation of ecosystem functions, but are effective only when preceded or accompanied by measures stabilizing exploitation levels. Short-term benefits are required to ensure local participation, but may be counterproductive when long-term ecological rehabilitation is the major objective. Incentives are important policy instruments to enhance participation by rural communities in rehabilitation activities. Long-term economic, ecological and social (humanitarian) arguments, at a scale surpassing the local level, should receive more attention in the process of justifying investments for land rehabilitation. Some criteria and conditions to be met both at a macro-scale and at the local level are discussed.