To mitigate risks of ecosystem service degradation in dryland landscapes, we need to ensure that tradeoffs are managed through informed land use, especially in high potential agricultural areas, such as the Guinea Savanna zone in Africa.
The Guinea Savanna zone in Africa was described in a recent FAO/World Bank publication as the “sleeping giant” for commercial agriculture, with potential to transform the economy of many countries. Yet, the Guinea Savanna is home to millions of farmers and pastoralists that depend on small-scale production practices and wildlife utilization. Its spectacular ecology and rich biodiversity is a major source of revenue from nature-based tourism for many countries.
Furthermore, the Guinea Savanna contains some of the world’s largest stocks of below-ground carbon, estimated at over 200 gigatons. Hence, the region is both a major asset for sustainable development in Africa, and a source of important global environment benefit.
By Mohamed Bakarr
This blog is part of the Agriculture and Ecosystems Blog’s month-long series on Restoring Landscapes.
