This publication is a product of the GEF-funded FAO project ‘Decision Support for Mainstreaming and Scaling Out Sustainable Land Management (DS-SLM)’ which has developed a decision support framework (DSF). The DSF integrates experience from work with land degradation (LD) and SLM into an overall strategy for mainstreaming and scaling out SLM at different spatial and temporal scales. This publication serves as a step-by-step guide for the application and implementation of the DSF during planning, design and implementation of SLM interventions.

Humans have been adapting to their environments throughout history by developing practices, cultures and livelihoods suited to local conditions – from the Mediterranean siesta to the Vietnamese practice of building homes on stilts to protect against monsoonal rains. However, climate change raises the possibility that existing societies will experience climatic shifts (in temperature, storm frequency, flooding and other factors) that previous experience has not prepared them for.

This report integrates the main findings of the AR6 Working Group reports58 and the three AR6 Special Reports59. It recognizes the interdependence of climate, ecosystems and biodiversity, and human societies; the value of diverse forms of knowledge; and the close linkages between climate change adaptation, mitigation, ecosystem health, human well-being and sustainable development.

Background and context
With the decentralization processes underway in most countries of the Congo Basin, community involvement in decision-making is becoming an imperative, particularly with regard to land and resource management (Beatty, M.T. et al. (1978). To ensure that this involvement results in a clear and sustained expression of community needs, it is important to think of an integrated, free and committed approach to communities in order to promote a dialogue between land management actors (Joe Watts, 1994).
Goal and objectives

Context and backgroundUnsustainable land management practices result in land degradation that threatens the environment and stifles livelihoods. Africa remains exposed to threats such as natural resource degradation and poverty due to various reasons that include: changing demographics, urbanization, mining, fragile natural resources and ecosystems, increased soil erosion and land degradation, low yields and high post-harvest yield losses.

In Cameroon, the pressure on wetlands, which cover nearly 70% of the national territory, appears to be increasing, whether for subsistence needs, firewood, grazing, logging or expansion of development projects. Currently, in terms of land use, forest has decreased by 619 km² and cultivated land has increased by 321 km². The surface area of degraded forests and land is estimated at around 12 million hectares, with a general trend towards an increase in the phenomenon due to both natural and anthropogenic factors.

This study addresses the significant issue of land fragmentation in Ethiopia, which is characterized by  small, irregular, scattered parcels  with no or adequate road access. With landholders owning multiple small and dispersed parcels, averaging 1.5 hectares, the situation demands urgent policy intervention.

Landscape restoration initiatives often have the potential to result in environmental gains, but the question of whether these gains are sustainable and how they are linked to other community needs (social, productivity and economic gains) remains unclear. We use the Sustainable Intensification Assessment Framework (SIAF) to demonstrate how environmental benefits are linked to productivity, environment, social, human, and economic components. Using the SIAF, the standardization of relevant indicators across multiple objectives provided a contextual representation of sustainability.

Multi-stakeholder platforms (MSPs), also referred to as innovation platforms or learning alliances, is a form of governance that utilizes pooled resources to address existing regulatory, participation, resource and learning gaps bringing together the strengths of private, public, and nonprofit partners . This document provides a synthesis on the major outcomes, elements of success, challlenges and opportunities for multi-stakeholder platforms in land restoration and sustainable land management in Tanzania.

Experiences show that integrating restoration efforts at landscape level need to be coupled with intensification efforts at farm/plot level to promote synergy and attain multiple benefits. The approaches followed in the creation of multifunctional landscapes are designed to enable achieving this goal. This report presents project activities and outputs related to approaches, implementation modalities and evidence generation exercises from ‘learning’ and upscaling sites.

This report provides a comprehensive guide designed to facilitate the co-design of inclusive landscape management plans. Recognizing the critical role of diverse stakeholder engagement in sustainable land management, the guide offers a detailed framework with a strong focus on practical application. Through a systematic approach, the guide provides step-by-step insights, methodologies, and tools to effectively navigate collaborative processes in landscape management.

Rangelands in Tunisia, spanning approximately 5.5 million hectares, play a vital role in providing about 30% of livestock feed. However, widespread overexploitation, including overgrazing and wood cutting, has led to degradation and reduced productivity. To address this, a training initiative focused on rangeland survey, management, and restoration was conducted under the Livestock and Climate Initiative of OneCGIAR. The objective was to enhance the capacity of engineers and technical staff from relevant institutions.