Management and restoration towards healthy rangelands in East Africa

Drylands hosts around 25% of the human population of the world and 50% of its livestock. Dry rangelands are often degraded and have low productivity. Continued degradation is exacerbated by climate change, population increase and overgrazing. Yet, the demand for livestock products is expected to increase by some 50-60% until 2050.

This project aims to identify restoration interventions and management practices that promote healthy, productive and sustainable rangelands.

We will achieve this by comparing different restoration efforts and intensification managements in Kenya with “business as usual” from both environmental services and productivity aspects.

We will in detail study soil C and water dynamics, vegetation dynamics, rangeland health and qualitative and quantitative aspects of fodder production.

Results will be modelled and scaled through remote sensing and by linking results to a network of more than 300 sites across the tropics (LDSF sites) analysed following the Ecosystem Health Surveillance System developed by ICRAF.

We are an inter-disciplinary group of scientists from Swedish and Kenyan universities and international research organisations. Communication and interaction with end users and policy makers is integrated in our research design.

The outcomes will be improved livestock productivity, soil health, hydrological functioning and the provision of ecosystem services at large, leading to better food and water security and enhanced livelihoods.