Social Norms
Social norms action with informed and engaged societies
Social Norms
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Desertification 2002 - Southern Africa

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Organised by the Desert Research Foundation of Namibia (DRFN), this regional network works to halt the spread of southern African deserts and enhance rural livelihoods. It links communities, field practitioners, governments, and scientists through a website, conferences, workshops, training, and community exchanges. The purpose of the project is to provide a forum for the exchange of knowledge between scientists, development practitioners, and dryland community members; to generate an understanding of the value of linking local knowledge with scientific research; to interpret and disseminate information; and to offer working examples of community action.
Communication Strategies

A three-day conference took place in Cape Town, South Africa in April 2002 that included participants from rural communities in Namibia and South Africa. Information was presented on appropriate technologies, income generation, indigenous knowledge, land tenure, monitoring and evaluation as well as the process and prevention of desertification. An African-style market at the conference displayed crafts and other products developed in the communities. Participants were invited to proceed to the rural community interaction and the final consolidation workshop. The former involved a five-day stay in a community in South Africa and Namibia to learn about community activities. A final workshop on lessons learned was conducted in Gobabeb, Namibia.


The DFRN website provides chat rooms, conference updates, training modules, and video footage.

Development Issues

Environment.

Key Points

Communities facing land degradation and the spread of deserts often find themselves isolated, with no access to information and support for improving livelihoods and conserving drylands.


The year 2002 marks the twenty-fifth anniversary of the United Nations Conference on Desertification (UNCOD) held in Nairobi, Kenya, and the tenth anniversary of the United Nations Conference on Environment and Development (UNCED) Earth Summit in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil. Drawing on these two conferences, the DRFN emphasises community participation in planning, decision-making, and implementation of actions.

Partners

DRFN, The National Botanical Institute of South Africa, The US Bureau of Land Management, Technical Centre for Agricultural and Rural Cooperation ACP-EU, UN Development Programme/UN Information Centre, Canadian International Development Agency, US Agency for International Development, Global Mechanism/GTZ, Convention to Combat Desertification/GTC, CTA.

Sources

DFRN website

Comments

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Submitted by Anonymous (not verified) on Tue, 11/30/1999 - 00:00 Permalink

Trying to find information on desertification on the DFRN web page which is referred to on this page, proved very difficult. I found photo galleries and other information but couldn't access abstracts or written information on the very interesting subject.
Helen B