Combating Desertification in Kenya - Combating Desertification in Asia, Africa and the Middle East - page 140

Fig. 7.3 Photo sequence from ( a ) 2004 to ( d ) 2007 of a typical site where controlled access has
resulted in vegetation recovery
Management strategies include measures to spread the pressures of human activities,
such as transhumance (rotational use) of rangelands and well sites, stocking rates
matched to the carrying capacity of ecosystems, and diverse species composition.
Improved water management practices can enhance water-related services. These
may include use of traditional water-harvesting techniques, water storage, and
diverse soil and water conservation measures. Maintaining management practices
for water capture during intensive rainfall episodes also helps prevent surface runoff
that carries away the thin, fertile, moisture-holding topsoil. Improving groundwater
recharge through soil-water conservation, upstream revegetation, and floodwater
spreading can provide reserves of water for use during drought periods.
Protection of vegetative cover can be a major instrument for prevention of
desertification. Maintaining vegetative cover to protect soil from wind and water
erosion is a key preventive measure against desertification. Properly maintained
vegetative cover also prevents loss of ecosystem services during drought episodes.
Reduced rainfall may be induced if vegetation cover is lost due to over cultivation,
overgrazing, over harvesting of medicinal plants, woodcutting, or mining activities.
This is usually coupled with the effect of reduced surface evapotranspiration and
shade or increased albedo (Fig. 7.3 ).