The Project is EU-INCO/SCOPE/UNEP funded and is managed by Jeremy Woods (project researcher) at King's College London. It is a collaboration between research groups from 5 African regional centres (GEO3) and 3 EU countries. he extent and value of savannas is not well quantified, but they constitute about 75% of the area of Southern Africa (SA) and their ecosystem services and natural capital value has recently been estimated at about US$ 100 billion per year. However, very little research has studied the transnational implications of the continued use of savannas which are naturally dry and fragile and thus subject to high variability. They are increasingly coming under severe stress from human and animal population pressures and from land distribution policies; thus sustainable practices and policies are difficult to implement. Savannas in SA are subject to great climate variability which for sustainable use requires linked socioeconomic and environmental management strategies; but these processes are not now well documented or understood (see literature review). Unfortunately there has been very little integration between the social and natural environment management sciences in order to ensure sustainable use of the savannas while providing optimum resources for the local people. The proposed collaboration is between three EU groups which have considerable experience with savanna soils and vegetation and five Southern Africa groups which work on rangelands and agriculture, woodlands and agroforestry, wildlife, soils and water management, and economic and social sustainability. The three main savanna land use patterns will be studied: traditional "subsistence" agriculture and agroforestry, commercial agriculture and forestry, and wildlife utilisation. Each land use pattern will be studied from three viewpoints: ecosystem ustainability, economic sustainability, and social equity. he three main savanna land use patterns will be studied : 1.traditional "subsistence" agriculture and agroforestry, 2.commercial agriculture and forestry, and 3.wildlife utilisation. Each land use pattern will be studied from three viewpoints: ecosystem sustainability, economic sustainability, and social equity. The concerted action will accomplish the following four tasks: i) evaluate current practices and policies on savannas from an interdisciplinary view to ascertain their sustainability; ii) describe alternative practices and policies required for achieving sustainable savanna systems; iii) recommend mechanisms for promoting the implementation of these regionally appropriate practices and policies, and iv) Synthesise existing data and data generated through the tasks, carry out meetings and scientific exchange, publish reports and data, and evaluate potential training and policy options; identify research priorities needed to address unanswered questions about sustainable savanna ecosystems. (from project website)
Southern African Savannas: Sustainable Management of Natural Resources - A Synthesis Study of Human Impacts and Enhancement of Social and Economic Benefits.