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Imperata grassland rehabilitation can succeed only when three
critical conditions are met. There are many examples of Imperata
grasslands being rehabilitated without outside assistance when all three
conditions were in place!
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People who rehabilitate Imperata grasslands must
have clear and secure tree or land tenure. People are directly
motivated to plant and protect trees and crops if they have clear use
rights or ownership. Most Imperata grasslands already have
local uses and local claims. Land tenure is neither clear nor secure
if there is a conflict between local people who were already using the
land and people trying to convert Imperata grasslands. Also,
land use tenure is not secure if it is based on project requirements
that the land user thinks are not practical or appropriate. The land
holder should be free to choose land use.
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Transportation and access to markets must be adequate.
Many Imperata-dominated areas are remote, and may remain in
Imperata for that reason. Agroforestry and assisted natural
regeneration will become more feasible if access is improved for
implementation, protection, and marketing. Roads allow fertilizer to
be brought in and produce to be taken out. What transportation is
adequate depends upon where landusers live and what crops are grown.
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Local communities must cooperate in fire prevention and
take the lead in fire control. Local people are familiar with local
conditions and fire risks; they are likely to be the first to know
when a fire starts, and can take timely actions to extinguish fires
while they are still small. They may also have reasons to deliberately
burn. They are only likely to cooperate in fire prevention if they
have secure tenure and access.
Development activities may be able to help put these conditions in
place by building roads, creating markets, or providing legal tenure to
local people. Extension agents may train people in fire control, or help
communities improve access to markets by providing market information or
organizing cooperatives. |
